Queen of Hearts
by MadamKabooshkwa
Summary: As Darkness steadily continues to invade the Realm of Light and her people losing more hope each day, the Queen finds herself running out of options. Her people are dying, the Chosen One has ignored her calls, and her daughter continues to suffer- Just how can she save her realm in what little time they have left?
1. Prologue

**Hello everyone, welcome to my new story, Queen of Hearts!**

**This story is based off or inspired by Voices of Fire, a vocal musical by Van Canto. (By vocal i mean it isn't performed on stage, it's just an album of songs that tells the story)**

**I hope everyone enjoys the story and maybe goes and listens to Voices of Fire :P**

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Thunder crashed and lightning lit the dark sky over the realm of Light. Rain heavily pelted the ground in sheets without mercy, flooding towns and nearby rivers.

Inside the castle was dead silent, except for the anxious pacing footsteps of the royal princess outside the King's chambers as she awaited news of his condition.

Their kingdom was at war with the realm of Darkness, their sworn enemy. As the days slowly and painfully slipped by, the realm of Darkness slowly conquered more and more of the realm of Light. The King, Princess Sakura's older brother, had left three weeks ago to fight off the denizens that were attempting to invade the cities surrounding the City of Light, the royal capital. However, two days ago he had returned gravely injured. His condition had drastically worsened over the course of the last two days, leaving the castle fearing for his life.

Tap, tap, tap.

Sakura's footsteps echoed off the walls. She had barely slept or eaten, too busy worrying about her brother. She couldn't lose one of the last of her family-she wouldn't be able to go on without him. They had lost both their parents to The Realm of Darkness, and now they were trying to take her brother from her. It was unforgivable.

Standing nearby were her two royal guards, Kero and Yue, both watching her with concern. They had both tried countless times to get her to, at the very least, eat something but neither had been very successful. She had nibbled on a piece of fruit and that was about it.

"She's going to collapse if she doesn't get some rest and eat something!" the lion-like creature Cerberus, or Kero as Sakura liked to call him, grumbled irritably.

Yue said nothing. He shared the same concerns for the Princess, and if necessary, he would force feed her if he had to. Even reminding her of her baby daughter hadn't succeeded in getting her to take care of herself.

The door opened and Yukito stepped out. He had dark bags under his eyes and his silver hair was unkempt. Sakura looked up at her brother's advisor, best friend and lover with hope in her eyes, but he shook his head sadly.

"He wishes to speak with you." Yukito told her softly.

Sakura could feel tears forming in her eyes, but she bit them back and headed inside the dark room. Standing at her brothers' bedside was the royal physician who also looked completely and utterly exhausted. She turned her eyes to where her brother was lying in his bed and she was unable to hold back her tears. They slid down her cheeks and hung under her chin before dropping to the floor.

"Touya," she whispered hoarsely as she knelt beside his bed, taking one of his cold hands in both of her warm ones.

The king cracked open his brown eyes and smiled weakly upon seeing his little sister.

"Hey monster," he murmured, "Don't make such a sad face."

Sakura's lip trembled, but she managed to return his smile. "When are you going to stop calling me that?"

"Never." He coughed hard, "I'm sorry Sakura. I can't hold on much longer."

More tears slid down her cheeks. "I know." She whispered.

"Listen-in order to save our realm, we need his help." Touya rasped.

She furrowed her brow, "Who-"

"You know exactly who I'm talking about."

Sakura grit her teeth angrily. "No! We don't need him!"

"Sakura, listen to me. You MUST find him. Do whatever it takes. You're soon to be Queen, and as queen you must protect the Realm of Light." Touya spoke calmly but forcefully.

"No!" she cried, "I can't do that without you..."

"You can and you must. Sakura, he's our only hope." Touya spoke, "You know it's true."

Sakura sobbed. How could she look for the man who had betrayed her? She never wanted to see his face again.

"Sakura, he is still your husband and I know you still love him." Touya said, "He still has a duty to our kingdom."

She shook her head. "I can't, Touya. It's too much."

Although he was weak, Touya lifted his hand and placed it on top of her head in a comforting gesture. "I believe in you."

Sakura sobbed quietly. Fate was too cruel.

"Princess, he needs rest now." Yukito spoke softly at her side.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to stay with my brother for a while." She whispered, watching as Touya closed his eyes.

Yukito smiled with understanding. "Of course."

Sakura was grateful to Yukito for letting her stay at her brothers' side, but the lack of sleep and food was catching up to her. Tired, she decided to just rest her head for a bit. She was swallowed by the world of dreams and into a world where there was no death.

The princess was shaken awake a few hours later by Yukito. As soon as her eyes landed on her brothers unmoving body, she knew. She would never hear his voice or feel his warm touch again.

The king had passed.

Her brother was gone.

He was dead.

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**Please leave a review and let me know your thoughts! Constructive criticism is accepted. Please don't abuse me if you don't like it. Thanks!**


	2. Clashings on Armour Plates

**Here's chapter 1 :)**

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The Queen of the Realm of Light was as beautiful as she was elegant, with a radiant personality and a pure love for her people and land. In their time of war, she had remained kind and compassionate, yet regal and lethal as she led the country. It was hard watching her people suffer-it broke her heart seeing them in such fear and anguish-but it was harder for her to remain calm and composed.

Two months had passed since the Queen had sent her closest and most loyal advisor out to search for the Chosen One. Calls had also been sent out across the Realm of Light as per Sakura's order, asking Him to return to the palace and aid their fight in the war that they were struggling to win. But there was no answer.

Sakura was furious. It had been nearly eight long agonising months since her brother had passed away and since she had sent out the call. Yet, He was nowhere to be seen. She was furious with herself for having hoped that maybe, just maybe, he would come back to her. She was furious with herself for thinking he still cared not just about her and their daughter, but about their realm. It was that worry that had caused her to send her closest friend and advisor out to search for the man they needed. And, if necessary, she would use force to get him back to the castle.

She tapped her desk anxiously. As each day passed, Darkness slowly took over more and more of her realm. Her armies were losing hope and they had lost many to the clutches of darkness taking over their souls. It was a horrible fate and Sakura was worried about the safety of her people. At the forefront of her mind, however, she was worried about Tomoyo.

A soft knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. She sighed softly. "You may enter."

The door opened and in stepped one of her advisors-he was a tall man with sapphire blue eyes and dark hair. Sitting on his nose was a pair of spectacles.

Sakura smiled. "Eriol-any news on Tomoyo?"

He looked grim. "I'm afraid not, your majesty. I'm sorry."

She lowered her eyes. "I see."

Eriol smiled at the queen. "I'm sure she's okay. You shouldn't worry so much."

"In times like these, it's hard not to." She replied, standing and walking over to the window. She looked out at the darkening sky and the mountains covered by dark shadows in the distance. "My kingdom is being swallowed and He hasn't come back. My people are beginning to lose hope. If that comes to pass, we are doomed."

"Have you considered the possibility that he's no longer alive?" Eriol asked boldly.

"He's alive. I can feel it."

"What makes you so sure?" he questioned.

Sakura turned and walked back to her desk. "I would know if he was gone. Just like he'd know if I was gone." She whispered. "Unfortunately, I do not have the time to seek him out myself right now."

Eriol watched the queen with gentle understanding. He had grown up with Sakura, Tomoyo and the man they were seeking. He knew how much Sakura cherished her friends and her realm. But he was worried about Sakura. Ever since that man had left the castle, she had locked part of her heart away, and she gave everything to her people and daughter all the more, refusing her own happiness. Something wasn't right with the Queen, but he couldn't figure out what it was. There was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind despite knowing that it would be normal for anyone to behave in such a way if their loved ones left them with no explanation.

"Eriol, how is everything going on the battlefield? Has General Yamazaki sent you a new report yet?" Sakura then asked, changing topic.

His face was grim as he remembered the reason he had come to visit the queen in the first place. "The forces stationed in the east have been wiped out, I'm afraid."

Sakura went rigid. "...Were there any survivors?" her voice was but a whisper.

"Thirty soldiers returned, your majesty." Eriol answered. "Including Major Mihara."

Sakura released a shaky breath. "How is Chiharu?"

"She has a fair few wounds and a couple of broken bones, but nothing life threatening which is a miracle." Eriol explained, "Some of the other soldiers are in worse shape. Some may not make it through the night."

Sakura nodded slowly. "Thank you. Where is Chiharu now?"

Eriol smiled warmly. "She's in the medical wing under physician Sasaki's care. She has a message she wishes to deliver to you personally."

"I'd like to speak with her." She said, "Yue, Kero, would you mind accompanying me please?"

"Right behind you." Kero mumbled from where he lay on the rug by the fire.

Yue shook his head at his partner's lack of manners towards their beloved queen, but Sakura didn't mind.

"Eriol, if you receive any news about Him or Tomoyo, please come and find me immediately." Sakura spoke.

Eriol nodded and bowed. "Of course."

Sakura passed Eriol to leave the room, quickly making her way to the hospital wing that was located on the ground floor in the east wing. Servants bowed or curtsied as the queen passed them in the halls and she smiled in return.

Shock hit her full force in the chest, taking her breath away as she entered the medical wing. It was full of wounded soldiers, some of which had not long died. A young female physician approached Sakura. She had short wavy brown hair that elegantly framed her gentle face. Her hazel eyes were tired yet determined and her apron bloodied.

"Rika-how are they doing?" Sakura asked.

"Three were dead on arrival. Another four have passed away since." The physician answered with a hint of exhaustion creeping into her voice.

Sakura nodded solemnly. "I'd like to speak with Chiharu. Is she awake?"

Rika nodded. "Please, come this way."

Sakura followed the physician to a bed where a woman with long wavy chestnut coloured hair was resting. Her bandaged arm sat lamely in a sling and she had a number of ugly bruises over her face and down her right-hand side.

The woman spotted Sakura and smiled, her warm honey brown eyes apologetic. "Forgive me, your majesty, but I am unable to give you a proper greeting."

Sakura shook her head. "Don't apologise Chiharu. What's important is that you're alive and that you get proper rest."

Chiharu smiled, "Thank you for your kindness, your majesty."

"What happened out there?" Kero asked from where he stood at Sakura's side with Yue.

Chiharu sighed heavily. "We were completely outnumbered and overpowered." She said, "A giant serpent demon destroyed our forces with ease."

Sakura clenched her hands into fists. "The Realm of Darkness is sending in their most powerful warriors now?" she asked.

Chiharu nodded with dismay. Sakura frowned. That was not good.

"I heard you had a message for me." Sakura murmured after a moment of silence.

Chiharu nodded. "I bumped into a messenger on the way back here. They asked me to deliver this letter directly to you."

The Major produced an envelope from inside her clothes and handed it over to Sakura. Sakura took it and looked at the handwriting, recognising it as Tomoyo's. She looked up at Chiharu and smiled.

"Thank you, Chiharu. I'll leave you to rest now-I'm positive you're completely exhausted."

Chiharu returned the queen's smile. "Thank you, your majesty."

Sakura gave her a warning stare. "Don't do anything to aggravate those injuries, or I'll personally nurse you back to health."

Chiharu gaped at her, and then laughed. "I understand," she said, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes.

Smiling, Sakura left the hospital wing, not wishing to get in the way of the hardworking medics and physicians. There was little she could do for them except pray for her soldiers and let the medics do their job.

As soon as she stepped foot out in the courtyard, however, she felt her rage towards HIM rise in her chest. How dare he! How dare he leave their country to rot and die. How dare he leave her and their daughter!

"Where is he!?" she hissed through clenched teeth.

Kero and Yue both glanced at each other for a moment before returning all of their attention to the fuming queen, who had stopped to sit down and calm herself.

It was important she get her emotions under control, or else she would be more vulnerable to Darkness invading her soul. And she _could not_ allow that to happen.

Kero hesitantly stepped forward. "Sakura, maybe you should rest a little..."

Sakura shook her head and took a deep breath. "I'll be fine," she murmured, and then held up the envelope in her hand.

"That letter-who is it from?" Yue asked.

"It's Tomoyo's handwriting." She answered, "Though it's possible the enemy has sent me this, and the contents inside may contain poison."

Yue and Kero frowned. "Let us check it."

Sakura nodded and handed Yue the envelope. He held his free hand over the paper, sensing for any ill intent that the sender may have had. Instead he only felt the familiar aura of Lady Tomoyo and what he thought felt like urgency and worry.

"I don't sense anything except for Lady Tomoyo's energy." Yue answered as he handed the envelope to Sakura.

Sakura nodded quietly and stared at the envelope for a moment. Her guardian had said there was no trace of ill intent, so that meant it was safe. Part of Sakura hesitated to open it-not because she was afraid it could kill her, but because she was scared about the contents of the letter.

Was it news about Him? Or worse-was Tomoyo leaving her too?

She shook her head. "I'm being silly."

Yue and Kero gave her a questioning glance, but she ignored it and passed the pair, heading down the long corridor with the letter still in her hand.

...

In the Far East, days away from the royal capital, stood a small town on a small island. It was lively with stall owners at the market shouting sales pitches and stores selling goods. The local inn was a popular place to visit during times of travel, or for men who just want to visit the bar after a hard day's work.

Among them was the waitress who worked and helped run the Inn. She was a cheerful and energetic young woman with platinum blonde hair that framed her face in ringlets. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of blue and her gentle face an oval shape while her skin was pale. She wore a white apron over her brown and creme dress and in both hands, she carried mugs of beer.

"Hey Akiho, careful not to trip now!" one of the regular customers called out from across the bar.

"Thank you for your concern, Mr Honda, but I'm fine!" Akiho called back cheerfully as she placed the two beers on the table in front of two customers.

"You say that, but you're the clumsiest person I know!" one of the other customers called out in a joking tone.

"That doesn't affect her cooking though. Akiho's cooking is the best I've ever tasted."

Akiho blushed, "Oh stop," she said, "It's not that good."

"Don't be so down on yourself!" Mr Honda laughed.

"Akiho, we have another customer!"

"Coming!"

Akiho hurried back around the bar where her guardian and closest person to family she had was waiting. He slid another few beers across to her and she picked them up.

"There's two meals for you to take to table eight as well." The man smiled. He had amethyst coloured eyes and short black hair, his smile kind.

"Thanks Yuna," she smiled and span on her heel to deliver the drinks.

"She's energetic as always." The small bunny sitting on the counter spoke. Around her neck was a fluffy blue scarf and she wore a gold accessory around her ear that resembled a crown with clock hands. In her hand she swished a glass of red wine around.

"She sure is." Yuna smiled.

Akiho hurried back over to collect the meals waiting to be delivered and cheerfully carried them over to table eight.

"Hey, did you hear the new rumour going around?"

Akiho looked over her shoulder, curious. She often heard a lot of gossip due to her work in the inn, but she barely paid it any attention. It was probably just something silly.

"No, what rumour?"

"It's about the royal army," they said, "Apparently they were beaten badly by one of the denizens."

"Fuck, are you serious? Aren't they looking for the Chosen?"

"I heard that the Queen's husband abandoned her to fight alone."

Akiho felt a sharp pang in her chest. Their Queen was such a kind and beautiful soul-everyone could see it. She was compassionate and she always listened to everyone's needs, trying her best to look after everyone. Akiho had never met her personally, but Yuna spoke highly of the young woman. He had once said that he was worried for her, as she always hid her sadness from everyone's view. She kept a smile and remained calm and composed in any and all situations.

"It sickens me that anyone would do that to our beloved Queen. She's such a loving woman-I'm amazed she can still smile." One of the men sighed sadly.

Akiho lowered her eyes. She could feel tears beginning to well up, and it took everything she had to stop herself from crying. She had to be strong, just like her queen, the only person in the world who allowed her to seek refuge in this country.

"Akiho, we need to prepare room nine!" Yuna called out.

"Got it!" she snapped back to attention and quickly headed upstairs.

The inn had a total of twelve rooms, each with four beds inside. Akiho opened the cupboard at the end of the hall and pulled out the cleaning equipment, then carried it to room nine. She nudged open the door with her hip, walked in, and started stripping the beds down. She hummed a cheerful tune to herself as she cleaned the room; she swept the floors, redressed the beds in clean linen and checked to make sure no creatures of darkness had made themselves at home in small places. It was becoming a regular occurrence; which Akiho knew was alarming. It was a dangerous sign that their world was losing to Darkness.

With a heavy sigh, she finished and picked up the equipment to carry back to the cupboard and then headed back down the stairs.

Yuna smiled as Akiho approached. "That didn't take long."

Akiho smiled back, "Yeah, there weren't as many denizens I needed to get rid of, so it was fairly easy."

"That's great."

"Hey Akiho, wanna go out on a date with me?" One of the men called out. His speech was slurred, and it was easy to tell that he was drunk. It wasn't the first time she had been asked by him either.

She smiled, "Kai, you know I'll tell your wife!" she laughed as she gathered empty beer mugs and plates from a nearby table.

He just gave a disappointed groan and his friends laughed. "Rejected again!"

"Ah, shut up."

Again, they all laughed.

It was nearly midnight by the time Akiho and Yuna had finished locking up the inn for the night. Akiho wiped the sweat from her brow and sighed heavily.

"It was a busy day today, huh?" Yuna spoke.

"It was." Akiho agreed.

"We're looking at another busy week. I heard the rumours about the royal army." Yuna added as he moved back over to the counter.

Akiho nodded, "Things are getting bad."

"It seems that way. It also seems that the Queen can't find the Chosen One at the moment."

"I heard some people saying that he abandoned her." Akiho replied sadly.

"You're worried about her." Yuna smiled.

Akiho nodded.

Seeing that her mind was elsewhere, he sighed softly. "I'm going to head to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

Akiho snapped out of her stupor and smiled. "Goodnight."

She watched as he headed down to his room and she sighed gently, her mind lingering on the queen for a moment before she also headed to her room to get a good night's sleep.

The same recurring dream she'd been having for months woke Akiho in the morning. She lay there in her bed staring up at the ceiling, thinking about the shadows that threatened to swallow the kingdom. The screams rang in her ears, haunting her. Akiho sat up and pushed aside her curtain to see the dim light of the day, and the threatening shadows in the distance. She wondered if her dream was connected somehow to what was happening to their realm but pushed it aside as she stood up to get dressed. Whatever it was, she couldn't think about it now-she needed to get ready to open up the inn and bar.

Once dressed, Akiho made her way out and into the kitchen where Yuna was busy cooking and Momo was relaxing nearby, eating her favourite chocolates. Yuna glanced up as she approached and smiled.

"Good morning. How did you sleep?" he greeted.

"Good morning..." she murmured, lowering her eyes.

He smiled sympathetically. "Did you have that dream again?"

Akiho nodded. "Yeah."

Silence followed. Yuna sighed softly. "They're getting more frequent, aren't they?"

Akiho nodded, opening her mouth to respond but was cut short when they heard the inn door open followed by a loud thud. Akiho and Kaito ran out only to find a young woman lying on the floor. Her long raven coloured hair was sprawled out around her and blood pooled from a wound in her side.

...

"Tomoyo's found where he is." Sakura stated as she looked into the burning embers in the fire place.

"And where is that?" Yue asked.

"A small island in the east." She answered with a growl. "I can't believe him. Did he really think I wasn't going to find him?"

Neither Yue nor Kero answered. There wasn't anything they could say to console her anymore. The sound of the door opening distracted Sakura from the rage she felt, and she glanced up, recognising the familiar pure white aura only those of royal blood had.

She smiled softly, "Hazuki, come here."

After a moment, a little three-year-old girl stepped out from behind the door with her thumb in her mouth. She had big amber eyes and auburn hair that fell down past her shoulders in waves, and in her arms she held a big plush bunny that was almost half her size. She waddled over to Sakura who lifted her into her arms.

"What's wrong honey? Did you have a bad dream again?" Sakura asked as she ran her fingers through her daughter's hair.

Hazuki nodded and Sakura tightened her embrace as tears burned her eyes. The more Darkness took their land, the more it threatened Hazuki's life, and not just because she was a normal human. She was of royal blood, and the royal family's lives were connected to the Realm of Light, and thus they were sensitive to the life of the land. Unfortunately for Hazuki as she was so young, she was hypersensitive to it. Sakura knew how to deal with it. She knew how cope. But poor Hazuki...

"Mama, when is papa coming home?" Hazuki mumbled.

Sakura bit back her tears that were threatening to spill down her cheeks. She smiled softly instead and kissed the top of Hazuki's head.

"Soon, honey." She whispered. "How about I sing a lullaby to help you sleep, hm?"

Hazuki mumbled something and nodded, so Sakura sang gently.

_"The castle is lit with candles and torches,_

_The carriages of the nobles arrive in front._

_The smell of splendours and decadence,_

_And nobody can foresee..."_

Tears spilled down Sakura's cheeks by the end of the song. The least she could do was sing a lullaby to banish the darkness from little Hazuki's dreams, but soon that wouldn't be enough. The power of their songs was fading, and Sakura couldn't banish the darkness without His power. Once again, her rage towards Him flared.

She was done waiting. She had made her decision.

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**This chapter is named after the second track from Voices of Fire :)  
****Please leave a review-as i stated in the Prologue, constructive criticism is always welcome. Abuse is not. **


	3. A Bards Song

**Hi guys, thank you to all who left comments for me, whether they were by PM, review or just during a discussion with me on the internet haha. Here's chapter two :)**

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Thunder rumbled overhead as dark clouds occasionally lit by lightning rolled in. Sitting in the small house he was staying in, Syaoran could feel the presences of multiple denizens of darkness nearby, and one of them was particularly strong.

_'That's not a good sign.'_ He thought to himself as he glanced out the window towards the forest.

"Hey Li, is something on your mind?"

Syaoran looked over at the man who was generously letting him stay in his house. The man was tall with a lean build and dirty blonde hair, while his eyes were sea green. He had a square jaw and a crooked nose that had probably been broken once or twice.

"Sorry Yuri. There's something I need to do-I'll be back shortly." Syaoran murmured as he stood.

Yuri smiled knowingly. He had grown used to Syaoran's random outings to banish denizens, which the townspeople revered him for. It had been nearly a month since Syaoran had arrived on the small island of Snapdragon, but he still had not opened up to Yuri much. Yuri had offered him a place to stay after he saw him destroy some of the larger denizens with such ease, and Syaoran needing a place to stay, had accepted.

"Take care." Yuri added as Syaoran left.

He treaded along the path until he reached the edges of the forest. He could sense that the denizens were close. He furrowed his brow and ventured in, making his way closer. He spotted a trail of blood leading away from the area, making his gut wrench. Someone had been attacked.

It didn't take him long to find the denizens after that. There were two: one was larger than the other and looked more gruesome than the smaller one beside it. It had ten legs protruding from a long body, each with deadly sharp claws protruding from its feet, and a dozen glowing red eyes swirling about in its head. The smaller one only had four legs and looked almost wolf-like despite its creepy skeletal form.

It didn't take long for them to notice him, but he was calm despite the fact they were running straight for him, thirsting for his blood. He pulled his flute from around his neck and began to play a harmonic melody. Immediately the smaller denizen shrank back as if it were wounded, but the larger one still slowly made its way towards him. Syaoran frowned, changing his tune. This time it was faster and much more complicated, a spell weaving together in the air and stopping the denizen altogether. He then played the four final notes of the song, obliterating the denizens completely.

Drops of water hit his face and rain began to fall. The denizens were getting harder to destroy, and he was having to use more powerful spells than he would normally need for denizens of such sizes.

_'That's alarming.'_ He thought to himself, but he felt he should have expected it with the current state of the realm.

He remembered the trail of blood from earlier and turned back to find it, following the trail back to the town. He prayed it wasn't a child and he prayed they were still alive-he just hoped they weren't infected with darkness.

The trail led to a local inn.

_'They'll be fine here.' _He told himself. There was no need to look into it any further-he had done his job. Turning around, he headed back to Yuri's house soaked with rain.

...

Tomoyo woke surrounded by warm blankets and pillows. Bleary eyed, she tried to remember what had happened and how she had ended up in the unfamiliar room, then felt sharp pain in her side, reminding her of how she had been attacked in the forest. Her songs had not been enough to defeat the denizens, even though they were relatively weak in comparison to denizens she had faced in the past, and that scared her. She hoped her letter at least got to the castle safely. Now all she needed to do was convince Him to return with her.

"Oh, you're awake." A small voice beside her spoke.

Startled, Tomoyo turned her head to see a small white bunny that resembled a plush toy, reminding her of Kero and Spinel back at the castle.

"Where am I?" Tomoyo rasped.

The rabbit clicked her tongue. "What? You don't remember crashing through the front door of the inn yesterday morning?"

Tomoyo vaguely remembered seeing the sign for an inn briefly before passing out.

"Momo, there's no need to be so rude to our guest." A woman spoke as she walked into the room carrying a bowl of hot water and some clean rags. She smiled at Tomoyo, "I'm sorry for her behaviour. She means well, though."

"Oh-it's fine." Tomoyo murmured.

"My name is Akiho. As you probably already figured out, that is Momo." Akiho introduced herself. "How are you feeling? I managed to stop the bleeding with a healing spell, and I was able to purify the darkness in your body."

"Thank you for saving my life." Tomoyo replied, "Honestly, I feel pretty horrible."

Akiho smiled grimly. "I'm not surprised. That's a nasty wound."

The sound of thunder rumbled overhead, and Momo sighed. "That storm is still going."

"The storm?" Tomoyo asked as Akiho peeled away the blankets to reveal her bandaged wound.

Akiho started to remove the bandages. "Yes. It's been going since yesterday afternoon."

"Do you often get storms like this?"

Dipping one of the rags in the water, Akiho ringed it out and then carefully began to clean the wound.

"No, we don't. They've been more frequent lately, though." Akiho answered.

Tomoyo sighed heavily, then gasped in pain.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you." Akiho apologised.

Tomoyo smiled, "It's okay, I can cope." She'd had worse, after all.

"Tell me if it becomes too unbearable." Akiho murmured as she continued to clean the wound.

Tomoyo lay there staring up at the ceiling, listening to the sound of the rain tapping against the windows. How did she get him to talk to her?

"What brings you here?" Akiho suddenly asked. Tomoyo glanced at her and Akiho smiled. "You're not from around here, right? I've never seen you in the village before."

"I've been searching for someone." Tomoyo confessed, "I was sent by the Queen."

Akiho stopped, her eyes widening in shock. "T-the queen sent you?"

Tomoyo nodded, "I need to see this person as soon as possible-the fate of the realm depends on it."

"Your wounds are too serious to move anywhere right now." Akiho frowned.

"I know." Tomoyo murmured, then met Akiho's gaze. "I need your help."

...

Syaoran opened the door to Yuri's house and stepped inside, sighing heavily. He had once again been unable to find anything of use at the old temple ruins, despite his gut feeling that there was something there that could help. He was beginning to become more frustrated with every passing day-he was running out of time.

Yuri peered around the corner having heard him and stepped out to greet him.

"Still nothing of use?" he asked.

Syaoran shook his head. "Nothing."

"Maybe you should give up." Yuri suggested, "It's already been a month."

Syaoran shook his head. "I'm so close to decoding the ruins... I can't give up."

"You sure are stubborn." Yuri snorted, "By the way, you have a guest."

Syaoran furrowed his brow. "Who is it?"

He wondered if it was another citizen asking for his help with a denizen, but stopped in his tracks when he saw that it was the young woman from the inn he had been keeping an eye on for a while. She was sitting next to the fire twiddling her thumbs, appearing to be a little anxious.

She looked over at him and stood, bowing politely. "I'm sorry to come here unannounced."

"How can I help you?" he asked, ignoring her apology.

"My name is Akiho-I work at the local inn." She said, "Um...I was wondering if you would mind coming to the inn with me. You see, there's someone there who wants to talk with you."

"Why couldn't they come here themselves?" Syaoran asked.

"They're injured." She replied, "Please, I'm begging you. They really want to see you."

Syaoran wasn't sure what to make of the situation.

"What do they want with me?"

"They just want to talk to you."

"About?"

Akiho looked unsure. "I... don't know."

Yuri smiled, "They must really want to see you if they got Miss Akiho to come for you."

_'It has to be a messenger from the castle.'_ He thought to himself. _'Is...'_

"I know you're a very busy person," Akiho interrupted his train of thought, "But please..."

"It's okay-you don't need to beg. Let's go." He murmured.

Relief shone in Akiho's eyes and she smiled gratefully. "Thank you!"

Syaoran turned to make his way towards the door with Akiho right behind him, and he stopped to let her out first. He closed the door behind him and nodded to her to lead the way.

"Isn't the inn usually busy at this time?" Syaoran asked.

"Oh-yes, but it's okay. Momo is stepping in for me."

He remembered the tiny white bunny that usually sat on the counter drinking wine and figured that was who she was talking about.

"I see." He murmured.

They walked in silence until they reached the inn. As soon as Akiho opened the door, the sound of laughter and chatter filled his ears.

"Hey Akiho! You go on a date?" one of the men asked.

"No, I was just running an errand." She replied with a smile as she casually made her way towards the back of the inn.

"Hey man, you better not hurt Akiho." Another man who had been drinking said.

His friend laughed, "Chill man,"

"Please come right through." Akiho said to Syaoran.

"Thank you." He murmured.

They stepped into an area that looked like a personal living space, with a fireplace and two bookshelves full of books. There were two armchairs and a couch, and a few paintings were hung on the stone walls. They continued through and down a hallway until they came to a stop at a door. Akiho looked at him briefly before opening the door to let him in.

Syaoran stepped into the room, his eyes immediately landing on a familiar face that he didn't want to see. He had been expecting a messenger, but not like this.

Akiho noticed the tension in the room and cleared her throat. "I'll give you two some privacy."

The door clicked shut. Tomoyo met Syaoran's gaze and an uncomfortable silence filled the room. He broke eye contact when he looked around for a chair to sit on, grabbing the chair from the desk.

"Hello Syaoran." Tomoyo spoke coldly.

"What do you want?" Syaoran asked, not bothering to look at her.

"Sakura sent me." Tomoyo replied, "You MUST come back to the castle at once."

"I can't." Syaoran sighed.

"This isn't a matter of what you want. Our world needs you." Tomoyo said.

"I can't leave this place." He repeated.

"You can't, or you won't?"

Syaoran said nothing which only infuriated Tomoyo more. But she didn't let her anger take control.

"How's your wound?" Syaoran asked instead.

"It's fine." She replied coolly.

Syaoran snorted. "Good for you, then."

Tomoyo sighed defeatedly. "Please Syaoran. I'm begging you-Sakura and Hazuki need you."

Syaoran stood from his seat and headed towards the door.

"As I said. I can't leave this place. Feel better soon, Tomoyo." Syaoran responded coldly.

"You coward." Tomoyo hissed as he left.

Syaoran smiled bitterly as he made his way out of the inn, passing Akiho on the way out. He had no more time to waste. He was out of time.

...

"Sakura, you can't do this!" Kero cried as she moved back and forth in her room, packing essential items she was going to need.

"We're out of time, Kero. I have to go-I know it's going to take a lot more than Tomoyo to convince him to get back here." She said as she placed a spare pair of travelling clothes in her bag.

"What about Hazuki?" Kero asked, "She's only three! She needs you!"

"I've already spoken with Eriol and Yukito. They will take care of her while I'm away." Sakura answered.

"But...it's dangerous-not to mention that as the Queen, you have so many duties!" Kero continued.

Sakura stopped what she was doing and walked over to where he was sitting on her bed. She hugged him. "I know it will be dangerous," she whispered, "That's why I have you and Yue to protect me."

Kero sighed heavily. "You really have your heart set on this, don't you?"

Sakura pulled away and smiled. "It's for the good of our realm."

"What will you tell the princess?" Yue asked from where he stood by the window with his arms crossed.

"I'll tell her I'm leaving on business and won't be home for a little while." Sakura murmured as she double checked everything in her bag.

"I've cast a protection ward as an extra precaution around the castle..."

_'But I don't know how effective it will be.'_ She finished in her mind, well aware that her magic was dwindling day by day.

A knock on the door sounded, distracting her from her thoughts.

"Come in." She answered.

Yukito walked in with Chiharu at his side, and her eyes widened.

"Chiharu-are you sure you should be moving? Your injuries..." Sakura murmured.

Chiharu smiled, "Don't worry-I've been very careful. Rika gave me the OK."

Sakura sighed with relief. "That's good to hear."

Yukito smiled gently. "I see you're ready to leave."

Sakura nodded, "I'm leaving everything to you and Eriol while I'm away."

"I promise we won't disappoint you." He replied, making Sakura smile.

Hazuki peered around the edge of the door, immediately gaining Sakura's attention. Sakura knelt down on the floor and held her arms out to the little girl, who ran into the comfort of her arms.

"Don't go..." Hazuki sobbed into her chest.

Sakura gently stroked her hair. "I have to," she spoke softly, "I promise I'll be back with papa as soon as I can, Okay?"

"No!" Hazuki wailed.

Sakura held her tighter. "Hazuki..."

Chiharu stepped forward and knelt down beside Hazuki, smiling gently. "Princess, do you remember what we talked about?"

Hazuki nodded as she continued to sob, crystal tears falling down her cheeks.

"You said you wanted to show mama you could be a big girl." Chiharu said softly.

Sakura felt her chest tighten as she watched Hazuki cry.

"But I want mama to stay," she sobbed.

Sakura gently kissed her forehead and wiped her tears away, then reached around the back of her own neck and undid the clasp of her necklace. It was a gold locket in the shape of a heart with a pink diamond in the centre-a gift from her husband.

"Look after this for me while I'm away, okay?" she spoke softly, "Whenever you're feeling lonely, you can open the locket to look at a picture of me and papa."

Hazuki sniffled as Sakura placed it around her neck. Sakura smiled gently as she cupped her cheek.

"Be good while I'm gone. I love you."

Hazuki ran back into her arms, hugging Sakura tightly. Sakura returned her hug and held her for a while before separating from her and leaving her with Chiharu.

"I'm trusting you all to keep her safe."

"Yes, your grace." They both replied as they bowed.

Chiharu held her hand out to Hazuki, "Come, Princess."

Hazuki gave her mother one last look before taking Chiharu's hand and leaving the room to allow Sakura to finish up. Sakura grabbed her bag and placed it over her shoulder before grabbing her travelling cloak to pull on.

"I shouldn't be more than two weeks." Sakura told Yukito, "If anything happens, you know what to do."

"Of course." Yukito murmured, "Sakura, I know you're angry with Syaoran, and you have every right to be since he left without telling you a single word of warning-but please... ask him why he left and try to understand his motives."

Sakura looked at him with confusion. "What are you..."

"Your majesty, we need to get moving as soon as possible before the sun sets." Yue spoke.

She nodded, "Very well."

"Sakura, promise me." Yukito insisted.

She gave him an odd look. "I'll try."

He still looked unsettled and she was certain she saw worry for her in his eyes. She turned away, "I should say goodbye to Eriol as well."

"He's in his office." Yukito told her.

Sakura nodded and then left the room, making her way down to Eriol's office.

The guard announced her arrival and Eriol looked up from what he was doing, stood and then bowed as she entered the room.

"Your grace." He murmured, "May you have safe travels."

"Thank you." Sakura replied, "Take care while I'm gone."

Eriol smiled, "_You_ take care." He added, "I hear the princess is quite upset."

Sakura's expression saddened. "I don't want to leave her-especially with the state of everything right now... But I can't let this go on any further. It's... time I performed my duty as the queen, and Syaoran as the king."

Eriol's expression became sombre, but there was nothing he could say.

"There's no other way." She whispered more to herself than anyone else.

Eriol stepped out from behind his desk and embraced her.

"We will see you when you return safely." He murmured.

She smiled and nodded. "Farewell."

...

Trudging up to the ruins, Syaoran was beginning to feel really irritated with the sound of footsteps following behind him. Ever since Tomoyo had regained the ability to move around, she hadn't left him alone. Wherever he went, she went.

"Shouldn't you be resting? That wound of yours was pretty nasty." He muttered.

"Shouldn't _you_ be heading back to the castle?" She retorted.

"I told you, I can't go back yet."

"So you say." She snorted.

Syaoran rolled his eyes and continued onwards. _'Guess I'll have to put up with her.'_

They continued walking in silence. Syaoran stopped, though, when he felt the presence of denizens nearby. Tomoyo sensed them as well.

"How many do you think there are?" Tomoyo asked.

Syaoran glanced at her with alarm, but she didn't notice since she was too busy looking into the forest.

"There's four. They're small ones, though." He replied.

"Shouldn't we get rid of them? The townspeople could be in danger."

Syaoran nodded. "You're right. Think you can keep up with those wounds of yours?"

"You underestimate me." She replied with a small smile.

"Let's go, then."

Carefully, they made their way through the dark forest, staying on alert for any possible threats other than the one they were chasing down. Tomoyo spotted them first and pointed them out to Syaoran, who pulled his flute from around his neck and lifted it to his lips. He began to play a familiar tune which immediately caused the denizens to seize all movement. Tomoyo watched as their ugly red eyes wriggled in their heads, rolling back into their sockets before they exploded with light. Syaoran placed his flute back around his neck as he caught his breath.

"So, it's taking its toll on you too, huh?" Tomoyo murmured.

Syaoran turned and began making his way back to the path towards the ruins.

"Let's get moving."

Tomoyo watched him for a moment, suspecting something was going on in that head of his. Perhaps seeing the ruins would help her to understand what it was.

Upon arrival at the top of the hill, Tomoyo was in awe. Standing before her were the crumbling ruins of what almost looked like a temple mixed with a castle. Even crumbling and falling apart, it looked like an important place of worship and care.

"These ruins..." She whispered.

"It's said that this is where the ancient protectors of our realm dwelled." He explained. "The protectors that we and the royal family descend from."

Tomoyo looked at him as he made his way towards the ruins, unsure what to say.

"What are you looking for here?" she finally managed to ask.

"Answers." He replied.

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**Same drill as last chapter :) thanks for reading!**


	4. In The Forest

**Hi guys! Thanks so much for reading :D Here is chapter three.**

**In response to a review: Hi Sora! I feel so flattered that I'm your favourite author! Thank you so much for reading my work-it makes me happy knowing people are enjoying what I write. The plot bunnies never stop, so i'm forever writing at the very least, _something _hahaha. Your writing and English are fine, by the way :) In answer to your question, yes, this world's magic is done with music! :D (I have a cat named Sora!)**

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Darkness swallowed houses and people as it spread its claws across the realm of Light. Screams deafened ears as the warriors of darkness destroyed homes and lives and land without mercy. Breathing became more difficult with each passing second as all hope faded from people's hearts and song was forgotten.

Standing before her was a huge monstrous wolf-like beast with three heads and angry red eyes, baring its razor-sharp teeth at her as it growled ferociously. Sakura stared up in terror as it lifted one of its huge paws with its deadly sharp claws and brought it down, slashing her body to shreds as a blood curdling scream left her lips.

Sakura bolted upright into a sitting position, her heart pounding and her hair stuck to her face and neck with cold sweat. She gasped for air as she struggled to regain herself, looking around herself trying to remember where she was.

_'Freyr Forest.'_ She remembered. It was the forest just before the city of Freyr, which was where she would catch a ferry from to get to her destination.

She lay back down and looked up through the tree branches, but she could not see the stars. Sadness gripped her tight as she was reminded of the state of her world-the world she was meant to protect. And her dreams were getting worse-the dreams that warned her of the devastation to come.

Kero lifted his head from where he lay beside her. "Is everything okay, Sakura?"

Sakura shook her head. "They're getting worse, Kero."

"The dreams?" he asked.

She nodded. "We have to hurry," She whispered.

"First, you need to rest. You can't perform any duty if you're not well." Yue spoke. "Remember-you must take care of yourself, if you are to take care of the realm."

A small smile formed on her lips. "You're right. Thank you, Yue."

But before he could reply, her two guardians were distracted by a familiar presence nearby. Sakura sensed it as well.

"I'll go." Kero said as he got to his feet.

"Be careful." Sakura replied as she watched him disappear into the trees.

She waited anxiously beside Yue, fidgeting with the edge of her cloak. As she was about to ask Yue if they should follow, she noticed something coming towards them. Kero came flying through the trees at top speed.

"We need to get out of here!" he shouted as Yue picked Sakura up, unfurled his wings and took to the sky.

Sakura looked back to see what they were running from: one of the largest denizens she had ever seen. It had eight long limbs protruding from a rather strange looking body. In its head were two large red eyes and a mouth full of long, razor-sharp teeth. It raced after them on the ground, climbing up trees and chasing them amongst the treetops.

"Kero-your purification flames!" Sakura shouted.

"You think I didn't try that!?" he yelled back as the flew at top speed.

Sakura froze in Yue's arms. If Kero's purification flames weren't working on this denizen, then they really were in trouble. It was unheard of for them not to work, meaning her songs most likely wouldn't work against it either. At least not on their own.

_'Can we even outrun this thing?'_ She thought to herself with fear.

"It's not slowing down!" Yue shouted, "You two should combine your attacks!"

"Will that work?" Sakura asked.

"There's only one way to find out!" Kero replied.

Sakura shouted in pain when she felt razor sharp claws rake across her arm-she spotted why, as a long arm retreated back down into the thick trees.

"Fuck." Yue cursed.

"I'll be fine," Sakura breathed, "Kero, I'll begin my song, then you can use your flames."

"Got it," he replied.

They ducked back down into the trees below and Sakura began her song:

_"Phrases laughing right in your face._

_Writing depth into this shallowness._

_Carving a name just to leave a trace._

_A body resounding with hollowness."*_

The denizen curled away slightly, but it didn't stop. However, thanks to its hesitation, Kero took the chance to blast it with his flames. Ear piercing screeches left the denizen's mouth as it was completely incinerated, and Sakura breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's gone..."

Yue and Kero landed on the forest floor and gently set Sakura down. Yue knelt beside her and looked over her bleeding arm.

"This is bad." He murmured, "It's contaminated with darkness pretty badly."

"We have no choice but to keep going until we reach the city." Kero said, "Yue, think you can still carry her?"

Yue narrowed his eyes at Kero. "What a ridiculous question."

"I was just trying to be nice." Kero muttered.

"We'll bandage your arm for now and stop the bleeding." Yue murmured as he tore off some material from his coat and wrapped it around her arm tightly.

"Thank you, Yue." Sakura replied softly.

"Right-Let's get going, so we can find a healer." Kero grunted as he rose into the air once again. Yue picked Sakura up again and followed after the other guardian.

They arrived at the city just as the sun began to rise, and they wasted no time in finding a healer. The poor man was rather grumpy, having to answer the door so early in the morning, but his irritation only turned to bafflement when he saw Sakura bundled up in Yue's arms and Kero standing beside them.

"How may I help you?" he asked, his hazel eyes flicking between them.

"It's urgent-we we're attacked by a denizen last night, and she got pretty badly injured." Kero spoke.

The man sighed heavily as he scratched his head. "Come in."

"Thank you, sir." Sakura replied. She was very pale from the pain and looked as though she might faint any moment.

"What brings you all the way out here, Your Grace?" The healer asked as he led them through to his examination room.

"You know who I am?" she murmured.

"It would be shameful if I didn't recognise our queen." He replied.

Sakura smiled, "Thank you."

He had her seated and he peeled away the makeshift bandage.

"In answer to your question, I'm here to catch a ferry to the island." Sakura answered.

The healer nodded as he inspected the three deep gashes for a moment before turning to gather some cotton wool and something to clean the wound with.

"How is it?" Kero asked, "can you purify the darkness?"

The healer shook his head solemnly. "This is beyond the abilities of any healer, I'm afraid... all I can do is clean the wound and dress it with clean bandages."

Kero and Yue both frowned, "What do you mean it's beyond your ability? You're a healer, aren't you?"

"I've never seen such a horrible case like this before-it's beyond our knowledge." He explained, "I'm sorry..."

Sakura lowered her eyes to the ground. What did that mean for her, then?

"Unless you can find someone with extremely strong abilities, I'm afraid that the contamination will spread through your whole body in just a few days."

Yue and Kero both looked at each other, thinking the same thing. They needed the man they were searching for.

...

Syaoran started awake with his heart racing and his mind in chaos. It was that same cursed dream again. He flopped back into his pillows and looked out the window at the star-less sky, unable to shake the feeling that something was very wrong. He lifted his hand to his wedding ring on his ring finger as his thoughts immediately turned to Sakura and their daughter. What if something had happened to them?

_'No. I'd know if they were dead.' _

The entire world would have been taken over by now, if that were the case. But still, there was a nagging feeling deep within him, as if it were telling him to go to her.

But he couldn't.

There was something he needed to do. So, he rolled over and closed his eyes, and tried to fall back to sleep.

But, despite his attempts to get more sleep during the night, Syaoran had been unsuccessful. Deciding he didn't want to be rolling around in bed anymore, he got up and dressed himself before heading to the kitchen. He found a few apples in the fruit bowl and cut them up for breakfast while he thought about the ruins; there was nothing new about their history he had learned-so far it all matched up with what they already knew. But he still held hope that there might be something that could help.

He finished eating and then headed out, determined to keep searching. The sun started rising as he walked to the ruins, and by the time he got there it had completely risen. Syaoran made his way through the decrepit buildings, passing the places he had already studied until he came to the same hall he had been trying to understand for days. It was like a big mural, but parts of it had faded over time and the pictures were hard to make out. And to add to it, the crumbling stone wasn't helping either. Tomoyo had been helping him decipher it, since she refused to leave him alone, and thanks to her help they had gotten at least somewhere.

It looked like a story about how the ancient protectors got their blessing, starting with a tragedy that befell the land. Darkness was taking over their lands, and all hope seemed lost until a group left in search of a way to defeat the darkness. But that's where it ended for Syaoran. The next part of the story was missing, so he couldn't understand the end of it.

He looked around at the surrounding pieces of stone and began looking through it all, pulling out pieces and putting them to the side of it looked like they could be part of the mural.

It wasn't until the grumbling of his stomach distracted him that he stopped what he was doing. He grabbed his bag and opened it, sighing heavily as he realised he hadn't packed anything to eat.

_'Guess I'll head into town.'_ He decided as he slung the bag over his shoulder and headed back.

As usual, it was busy as people did their shopping or were out for lunch. People waved and smiled at him as he passed, and he returned their gestures before stopping outside the bakery. He could smell freshly cooked bread and cakes, making his mouth water.

"Hello again, Mister Li." The baker greeted with a kind smile. "I heard you got rid of another denizen the other day."

Syaoran smiled, "Yes, but it was no big deal."

"On the contrary, everyone here is safe thanks to your deeds." The baker replied, "What can I help you with?"

"I think I'll have one of your steak pies today." Syaoran replied, still smiling.

"Sure. It's on the house." The baker said as he pulled a hot steak pie out of its warmer and into a box.

Syaoran held up his hands and shook his head in protest. "No, I couldn't possibly..."

"I insist." The baker smiled, "After all," he added quietly, "It's not every day I get to talk with our king."

Syaoran's eyes widened and he looked around, making sure no one else heard before turning back to the baker.

"How long have you known?" he asked.

The baker laughed, "The whole town knows. But we say nothing because we know it's not our business to ask questions."

Syaoran smiled grimly. "As citizens, it would be normal to question why your king is here in such a small town."

"I suppose so." The baker shrugged, "All we know is that you seem to be studying those ruins for a really important reason. Is it safe to assume it's for the good of our realm?"

Syaoran took his pie from the baker, "In a sense, yes."

"Then we won't get in your way." The baker said, "Enjoy your pie."

Again, Syaoran smiled. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

The baker waved goodbye to him as he walked away, sitting himself by the fountain in the centre square to eat his meal. He couldn't help but be hyper aware of everyone around him-did they really know who he was?

_'Surely not.'_

He fingered his wedding ring, twisting it around his finger as his thoughts turned back to Sakura.

"Please be safe." He whispered to himself like a prayer.

"I finally found you!"

He looked up and spotted Tomoyo heaving for breath and frowned.

"You didn't run all the way to the ruins and then all the way back, did you?" he asked.

"No, I decided to try and see if you were in town before going to the ruins." Tomoyo replied. "It was just a feeling I had."

Syaoran wasn't surprised. She'd always had a keen sense of perception as well as just a sense of knowing. It was a part of her magic ability, after all.

"Are you going to spend all day around me today, too?" He asked before taking another bite of his pie.

"Yes. The faster we find whatever you're looking for, the faster we can leave." She replied.

"Right." He rolled his eyes.

"By the way-about that waitress, Akiho..."

"She's like us." Syaoran stated.

She furrowed her brow, "You knew?"

"Do you really think the only reason I'm here is to study those ruins?" Syaoran snorted.

"You know, Syaoran, you haven't exactly been very clear about why you even left the castle without saying anything." Tomoyo bit back.

Syaoran lowered his eyes. "You know of Sakura's fate."

Tomoyo's anger ebbed away as she heard his broken voice.

"I can't let it happen." He whispered, "I have to find a way."

Tomoyo felt her chest tighten with multiple emotions. At first, she felt the same pain he was probably feeling at the thought of anything happening to Sakura, and then she felt guilt for thinking the worst of him. But then she also felt anger because of what he'd put Sakura through.

"You should never have taken this upon your own shoulders to deal with." Tomoyo hissed. "But... I can't let it happen either. So, I'll help you."

Syaoran said nothing. Eventually, he finished eating his pie and then stood.

"I'm heading back to the ruins. If you're coming, then let's go." He murmured.

Tomoyo nodded and stood, following after him.

"How is that wound of yours?" he asked as they walked.

"Thanks to Akiho's healing magic, I'm fine." Tomoyo replied.

"Well, that's good for you." Syaoran murmured in reply, then stayed silent for the rest of the walk.

Upon reaching the ruins, they headed to the place Syaoran had been investigating earlier in the day. Tomoyo raised her brow as he started looking through pieces of rubble and debris.

"And what are you doing, exactly?" she asked.

"Trying to find the missing parts of that mural," he grunted as he tossed a large rock to the side.

She walked over to start helping him, picking up a slab of stone and tossing it to the side once she saw it had nothing on either side.

"What makes you think we'll find anything?" she asked.

"Just look." He growled.

In all the time she had known Syaoran, she had never seen him so agitated before.

_'He must be really desperate.'_ She thought to herself.

As usual, there was silence between them as they searched through the pile of broken stone and rubble. Once they finished going through what had been in front of them, Syaoran nodded to a nearby area.

"I'll go look over there. Why don't you try and look over there?" he pointed across the yard.

"Okay." She murmured and started looking around the surrounding area for any signs of stone that could belong to the mural.

She turned over a piece with part of a picture painted on it, but it was too heavy for her to carry alone.

"Syaoran-help me with this!" she called out to him.

He stopped what he was doing and walked over, helping her carry the large piece of slab over to the mural. They placed it up against the mural and Tomoyo frowned.

"It seems like we're missing part of what's in the middle." Tomoyo murmured.

"You think so too?"

"Well...Yes. It doesn't show how they defeated the enemy." She replied.

"Keep looking." Syaoran murmured as he turned to head back to where he was earlier.

Tomoyo sighed and continued her search as well. They searched for hours but found nothing that could be part of the mural. Tomoyo was about to suggest that they call it a day but was distracted by the familiar tingle of magic coming from the stone wall that had been built into the mountainside. She lifted her hand and placed it against the stone, furrowing her brow. Syaoran, who had noticed what she was doing moments earlier, walked over to her.

"How come we didn't sense this sooner?" Tomoyo asked with a frown.

"That's a good question." He murmured, unsure himself.

Tomoyo sang a three-note tune as she tested her magic against the spell, but there was no reaction. Syaoran places his palm against the stone and focused on the magic, trying to figure out what it was, but it was to no avail.

"Until we can figure out what it is, it's unlikely our magic will do anything to it." He said.

"Let's head back, then." Tomoyo said, "besides, I'm starving."

"Yeah. I'll walk you to the inn." Syaoran murmured.

Tomoyo smiled, "Thank you-I appreciate it."

If there was one thing that hadn't changed, it was that Syaoran would never let her go somewhere alone if he thought there might be some kind of danger.

As they walked back, thunder rolled around with the occasional flash of lightning, but there was no rain.

"Another storm..." Tomoyo murmured.

"They're becoming more frequent." Syaoran added, "Hopefully it won't start raining."

"Hopefully not." She agreed.

Their luck held out until they were a couple of metres from the inn, then it started pouring with rain. They ran the extra few metres and inside out of the wet-Yuna smiled at the pair.

"You're just in time. There's a guest here to see the two of you."

Syaoran and Tomoyo looked at each other with confusion as Akiho approached, "Follow me."

They followed her through to the back of the inn where Yuna and Akiho lived, and both stopped in their tracks when they saw the person they were least expecting to be sitting on the couch with a hot cup of tea in her hands.

All thoughts flew from Syaoran's mind as he laid eyes on the one person, he was not ready to see. Her emerald gaze met his as she set the teacup back in its saucer. Her eyes held no warmth. She did not smile. She simply spoke.

"Hello Syaoran. It's been a long time."

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**...I promise they're not gunna be super angsty all the time lmfao.**

**Fun Facts: For those of you who don't know, Van Canto did a cover of the song 'The Bards Song-In The Forest', which is the song i've named this chapter and last chapter after.**

**The song featured in this chapter is Spelled in Waters, by Van Canto. Go have a listen if you feel up to it!**

**I look forward to hearing from everyone! **


	5. Dragonwake

**I was going to upload this yesterday but I had visitors over. Anyhow, i'll leave the long comments for the end. Enjoy!**

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It wasn't at all what Sakura had imagined their reunion to be like. Syaoran stood dripping wet beside Tomoyo, who was already drying her hair with a towel Akiho had retrieved for her. Syaoran broke his eye contact with Sakura to take his and quickly dried himself off.

"Your majesty-I sent you a letter a few weeks ago..." Tomoyo trailed off, her confusion as to why the queen had come all the way to a remote island obvious.

"I know." Sakura replied without looking away from Syaoran, "That's why I'm here."

Syaoran snorted. "Abandoning your place at the palace at a time like this-that's low."

Sakura's rage flared. "How _dare_ you!" she shouted as she rose from her seat, "You're the King-and you abandoned your people!"

Akiho's eyes widened as she looked at Syaoran. She could hardly believe that the man who had been protecting the small town was actually the king, of all people. Tomoyo looked at Syaoran out the corner of her eyes, assessing his reaction while Sakura continued.

"I'm here to take you back so that you can perform your duty as the king, and I perform mine in order to save the realm!" she narrowed her eyes, "Or do you no longer care about the safety of our only daughter?"

A deadly silence fell in the room. Akiho looked between the young queen and Syaoran, both of who were glaring at each other with such ferocity it was hard to believe they were married. Syaoran broke eye contact by turning and heading for the door.

"Good luck with that. I have things to do here." He snorted.

Yue and Kero both made a move to go after him, but Sakura stopped them.

"Leave him. We can find him again tomorrow-besides, we all need to rest." She spoke.

Akiho fidgeted anxiously, unsure what to do, and Tomoyo smiled gently.

"You need to get back to work, right? Please leave the rest here to me." She said.

Akiho glanced at Sakura with worry, hesitant to leave, but she nodded and headed back out to return to work in the inn.

Tomoyo sat down across from Sakura and poured herself a cup of tea, bringing the cup to her lips. The hot liquid warmed her body as it slid down her throat, and she placed the teacup back in its saucer.

"Forgive me, Tomoyo." Sakura murmured, "You didn't need to witness that."

Tomoyo smiled a little sadly. "Don't apologise." She replied, "You must be exhausted, having travelled all this way. Have you eaten?"

Sakura nodded. "Miss Akiho was kind enough to prepare a meal for me when I arrived earlier."

"She's a lovely girl-and like myself, she can purify darkness." Tomoyo added.

Sakura's eyes widened. "Is she...?" she whispered.

Tomoyo nodded, "Syaoran seems sure of it. He's been keeping an eye on her, amongst other things."

Sakura's expression turned bitter. "All this time..."

Tomoyo felt another pang of sadness as she watched her best friend. She had every right to be angry, but Tomoyo had never seen such scorn from the young queen. It was completely unnatural and totally out of character for her to be so bitter. Was this how hurt she truly felt? Or was it something more?

"Sakura, I..." she started, but shook her head. "Never mind. It can wait until tomorrow. Until then, you should rest."

Sakura nodded tiredly, already beginning to nod off on the couch, and within minutes she was asleep. Tomoyo stood and grabbed the blanket hanging over the back of the couch to put over the sleeping queen, sighing softly.

"I'm assuming things are getting really bad back at the capital?" She murmured to Kero and Yue, who were standing beside the couch.

"They are." Kero replied, "Sakura came because of the princess, though."

Tomoyo's eyes widened, "Is she alright? What's happened?"

"Sakura can't watch her daughter suffer anymore. When she got your letter, she knew it would take a lot more than you to convince him to return." Yue explained.

Tomoyo's eyes saddened, "Poor Hazuki..."

"I suspect things will only get uglier. Be prepared." Kero advised.

Tomoyo nodded as she looked over at the queen. Would Sakura and Syaoran ever find a way to make up with each other, or was the damage too severe?

...

"Welcome back-dinner will be ready shortly." Yuri greeted as Syaoran walked in, passing right by him without saying a word and slammed his bedroom door shut behind him. Being soaking wet didn't help his feral mood either. Immediately, he started getting changed into dry clothes before lying down on his bed and staring up at the ceiling. He had never expected Sakura to come all the way out to a remote island to get him to return to the castle, which meant she was desperate. He knew he had to go back, but the way she didn't seem to care about the consequences of fulfilling her duty to save the realm... That made him angry. It was that anger that had led him to say what he had to her. He needed to figure out what was going on at the ruins fast, and he had to do it before he inevitably had to leave with her.

A knock on the door pulled him away from his chaotic thoughts.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Dinner is ready. Do you want me to put it aside for you to eat later?" Yuri asked.

Syaoran sighed. "No. I'll come out."

He got up from the bed and walked over to the door, opening it and walking out into the kitchen. Yuri had already placed his plate at the table, so Syaoran sat down across from him and started eating.

"So," Yuri began, "Did you have a fight with Lady Tomoyo?"

Syaoran shook his head. "I'm sorry for slamming the door. It's not Tomoyo who has me in such a foul mood."

Yuri smiled. "Was it a denizen?"

Again, Syaoran shook his head. Yuri looked at him expectantly and Syaoran knew he had to explain-it was the least he could do after completely ignoring him.

"It's my wife. She's here."

Yuri's jaw dropped. "The Queen? She's here?"

Syaoran nodded. "And she's not happy."

"What happened between you guys, anyway?" Yuri asked.

Syaoran sighed. "I... left the castle-left her-without saying a word."

Yuri's eyes widened. "You just left her? Just like that?"

Syaoran nodded. He didn't even try to defend his actions-he knew he was wrong to have done that to Sakura and their daughter.

"Wow, no wonder she's angry." Yuri snorted, "You do have a good reason for doing that though, right?"

Syaoran sighed, "No reason can ever excuse what I've done." He replied.

"Sounds like the two of you need to spend some time working out your issues." Yuri murmured.

Syaoran didn't respond, and instead focused on his meal. Yuri was right, though. They did need to sort out their issues, but he knew Sakura was definitely not in the mood to do so. In all his life, he had never seen Sakura so furious. She had always been so gentle, so he wasn't sure how to handle this new side of Sakura.

But first, he needed to find out what was going on at the ruins, and if there were any answers about how he could save Sakura's life.

...

The feeling of something brushing against her injured arm woke Sakura in the morning; she grabbed the hand and her eyes flew open, landing on the startled blonde.

"I-I'm so sorry, your majesty!" she stuttered, "It's just, I spotted the bandages and I thought maybe I could change them for you!"

Sakura relaxed and sighed softly. "Forgive me for startling you. Your name is Akiho, correct?"

Akiho nodded.

"Don't tell Tomoyo about this." Sakura said.

Akiho looked confused, but she nodded without asking questions. It wasn't her place to, after all.

"Thank you." Sakura smiled as she sat up.

She found she was still on the couch she had fallen asleep on the night beforehand, and she had been covered with quite a few blankets to keep her warm through the night.

Akiho stood, "Yuna is making breakfast right now-it probably isn't what you're used to, but I promise it tastes nice."

"Thank you," Sakura replied kindly. "Um...would you mind changing the bandages?"

"Of course," Akiho smiled gently and sat back down.

Sakura watched as she unwrapped the bandages; Akiho's eyes widened upon seeing the wound and the Darkness spread through it.

"Your majesty..."

"Doctors cannot help me with this." Sakura smiled sadly, "There's only one person who can help me."

"Then let me get them for you-"

Sakura shook her head. "No."

Akiho opened her mouth to protest but stopped and nodded weakly. She tended to the wound carefully in silence and finished bandaging it for her.

"I'll go and organise breakfast, if you wish?"

Sakura nodded, "Thank you, I'd like that."

Akiho nodded and turned, but Sakura stopped her once again. "Would you happen to know where Tomoyo is?"

"I believe she's at the ruins with his majesty." Akiho answered.

"...I see. Thank you." She murmured.

Akiho then left her, and she frowned, wondering where these ruins were and what was so interesting about them. She sighed softly and buried her face in her hands, feeling like she was about to fall apart again. Their realm was dying, and he was more interested in some ruins?

"Sakura?" Kero murmured, clearly concerned for her.

She took a deep breath. "I'm okay," she whispered, "I'm fine."

Yue and Kero glanced at each other knowing full well it wasn't true. But there wasn't anything they could do, except be there.

Just as Akiho had said, breakfast was delicious, and it didn't disappoint. Sakura had made sure to let Akiho and Yuna know before making her way to the ruins with the waitress as her guide.

"How long have you lived here, Akiho?" Sakura asked as they walked.

"Since I was three." She confessed, "My mother passed away when I was four, and I don't remember my father. Yuna helped my mother out a lot while I was little, and he took care of me along with Momo, who was my mother's familiar."

"Momo is that little white rabbit with the blue scarf?" Sakura asked.

Akiho nodded.

Sakura smiled, "Do you like it here?"

"I do... I would do anything to protect this place." She said earnestly.

"What can you tell me about the ruins?" Sakura then asked, curious about the history.

"I only know what Yuna and Momo told me... Apparently the Ancients lived there after they won the very first war with Darkness."

Sakura's brow furrowed. Hearing that, she wondered if maybe Syaoran's reason for studying the ruins was to find something else that could help them in the war-maybe a new spell or something else.

_'Stop deluding yourself'_, a small voice in the back of her mind spoke, _'he left you and your daughter. Why would he care?'_

Sakura stopped in her tracks, startled. She lifted her hand to her injured arm and Yue stepped forward.

"Your majesty, are you tired? I can carry you the rest of the way." He offered.

Sakura shook her head. "Thank you, Yue, but I can walk."

Yue looked unsure, but he nodded his understanding.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, until they finally reached the ruins. Sakura looked around at the crumbling architecture in awe. It was a beautiful yet chilling sight, as she wondered what had befallen the Ancients. They slowly moved through the ruins-Akiho was just as amazed, as she had never bothered to visit the ruins herself before, so it was her first time seeing the place. Sakura could feel herself being tugged towards somewhere; she wasn't sure what it was, but she allowed herself to follow it, soon spotting Syaoran and Tomoyo standing in front of a large stone wall that was emanating a strong magic aura.

Tomoyo spotted her first, her amethyst eyes widening with surprise. Syaoran turned his head briefly to see Sakura before looking away as if he were ashamed.

"What is this wall?" Sakura asked, lifting her uninjured hand and placing it against the cool stone.

"That's what we're trying to figure out." Tomoyo answered.

Sakura furrowed her brow as she slid her hand over the wall, "Somehow I..."

She trailed off as her instincts took over. She didn't understand how she knew or recognised the sealing spell on the wall, but she also knew how to break it.

Singing softly, she channelled some of her magic power through the veins in the walls, then pulled her hand away as slowly, with a low rumbling, the stone wall began to split apart, opening up and entrance to an extraordinarily large cavern.

"What did you just do?" Syaoran asked calmly.

"I... I don't know. It was like an instinct or reflex..." she replied quietly, still struggling to comprehend what she had just done.

"This place is huge." Tomoyo murmured.

Akiho just stared in complete and utter awe. Never in her entire life had she heard anything about there being any kind of magic barrier or cave among the ruins. Yuna had never mentioned anything about such a phenomenon, nor had Momo.

"Do you know if anyone in the town knows about this?" Syaoran asked the blonde.

Akiho shook her head. "Not that I know of..."

Sakura started moving towards the entrance but Syaoran reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her back to him.

She whirled around, "What do you think you're doing!?"

"I could ask you the same thing! You have no idea what the fuck is in there!" he yelled back at her.

"Kero and Yue are with me. I would have been just fine." She hissed.

Syaoran rolled his eyes and let go of her arm, "Let's go."

He made his way inside the cave with Sakura and the others following behind. Tomoyo produced a small ball of light at the tip of her finger to light the way, revealing stone pillars along the walls like the ones outside that were falling to pieces.

"A secret passageway, maybe...?" Tomoyo wondered.

"Quiet for a second." Syaoran ordered, stopping in his tracks.

Everyone did as he said-even Sakura, though she scowled at him as she did so. They waited for a few minutes but couldn't hear anything, and just as Tomoyo was about to say so, he lifted his hand to silence her.

There was a low grumble, something that sounded inhuman but not like the walls were collapsing.

"What was that?" Akiho asked anxiously.

"...Dunno..." Syaoran murmured as he continued forward.

"Yes, because walking towards it is the safe thing to do." Sakura growled.

"Like you can talk." He retorted.

Sakura bit back what she was about to say, and instead followed after him with Yue and Kero at her side.

They soon came out into a very large, circular hall, and in the centre was the source of the growling: a giant, emerald lizard-like beast with glimmering scales and large lethal spikes protruding down its spine and long tail. A pair of gnarly horns jutted out of its head, and long claws from its feet.

"Is... is that... a dragon?" Akiho whispered.

"Yes," Syaoran murmured, "I believe so."

"I thought they were all extinct." Tomoyo whispered.

Sakura stared up at the beast with a mixture of awe and terror, as well as a certain degree of familiarity.

"I know you," Sakura breathed.

As soon as the words left her mouth, the dragons eyes opened to reveal two large ice blue eyes. They fixated on the group who all, but Sakura stood in terror.

She stepped closer with her arm outstretched and Kero and Syaoran yelled out to her.

"Sakura stop!"

But she ignored them. Gently she placed the palm of her hand against its muzzle.

"Somehow...I know you."

Syaoran stared in horror, his heart racing a mile a second as he feared for her safety. He wouldn't make it in time if something happened.

But, nothing did.

A strange voice echoed in their heads instead.

"Descendants of the Guardians... Why have you disturbed my sleep?" the dragon asked.

"Descendants...?" Akiho furrowed her brow in confusion.

"You all have the blood of the Guardians in your veins." The dragon explained.

"Forgive us," Syaoran apologised, "We did not realise you dwelled here."

The dragon's blue eyes shifted to where Syaoran was standing, examining him with interest.

"You have the blood of that man running through your veins..." the dragon spoke, "And yet, I sense you have lost something within yourself."

Syaoran flinched, but no one noticed.

"Please, can you tell us anything about what happened to the city outside?" Tomoyo asked.

The dragon blinked slowly. "Time... it is a blessing, and a curse." They began, "The guardians' descendants established a new kingdom, away from here as they became sceptical of my existence."

Sakura felt saddened upon hearing the words resonate in her head.

"No one has seen a dragon in thousands of years." Yue said.

"My kin either perished in the Great War...or died peacefully in their sleep." The dragon spoke.

"Why could we only sense the barrier now?" Syaoran asked.

"Magic over time...weakens... Only the true heir to the throne of light could sense it… or break it."

Sakura lowered her eyes. That was why she could break it the seal.

The dragon's blue eyes returned to Sakura, examining her. Their voice echoed inside Sakura's head, _"If he does not treat your arm soon, you will perish."_

She looked at the others, fear tugging at her chest. Had they heard?

_"Worry not-those words were for you, and you alone."_

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief, not realising Syaoran's eyes were watching her carefully. After a long moment, he turned his attention back to the dragon.

"Do you know of a way to save our realm from Darkness that does not require Sakura to sacrifice herself?" Syaoran asked without hesitation.

Akiho looked at Syaoran with shock, and so did Sakura, but not for the same reasons.

"What...?" Akiho whispered.

"I am sorry, I do not know. Nor do I know how to save your realm from Darkness... the light within you has weakened."

"No! That can't be!" Sakura cried.

"You can try asking the Oracle... He may know of something."

"The Oracle?" Kero frowned.

"If we knew where he had disappeared to, we would have asked him ages ago." Yue murmured.

"I know where he is." Akiho confessed, "A number of travellers recently have mentioned that the Oracle has been residing on one of the islands in this area-Lycoris, if I remember correctly."

"If there is a chance that he can help, we should seek him out as soon as possible." Yue spoke to Sakura, who was stiff with anger.

Syaoran looked back to the dragon, understanding Sakura's distress. "What do you mean by the light within us having weakened?"

"When we gifted the Guardians with the power of light, it shone within their souls, almost blinding." The dragon explained, "But now... that light has weakened."

"Sakura..." Tomoyo whispered.

"No... Hazuki..." Sakura fell to her knees in despair. Was all hope lost, after all?

_'It's his fault,'_ that voice in the back of her mind spoke, _'He deserves to suffer. He deserves death.'_

Tomoyo grabbed Sakura's arm and helped her to her feet, smiling gently.

"Let's go and see the Oracle." She said, "There is still hope."

_'No, there is not.'_

Sakura nodded weakly. She couldn't give up yet-for the sake of the realm-for the sake of her daughter-she had to find a way, even if it meant her death.

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** C. I know. Now you'll have to wait and see if Syaoran can find a way to save Sakura's life!**

**Thank you to those wonderful reviewers! I am trying very hard to remember that Kero and Yue exist while they do sort of sit at the back until they're needed (I'm terrible when i'm writing. I forget stuff a lot because i get caught up in the moment of the story)**

**I hope to hear from you again! See you in a week(ish)**


	6. Time and Time Again

**Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter.**

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The image of Sakura's defeated form had been haunting Syaoran ever since they had left the dragon's lair. In all his life, he had never seen her fall into such despair-usually, she was everyone's hope. She was the bright light that led everyone out of their darkness. She never gave up even when things seemed completely hopeless.

But the woman he was seeing now, was not the woman he knew.

_'Is this my fault?'_ he wondered as he packed his bag, getting ready to meet with the others before they headed to Lycoris.

He frowned. He was sure that he was only part of the cause. Sakura had been acting strangely ever since she had arrived. If she thought he hadn't noticed that she'd been barely using her left arm, then she was dead wrong.

_'But why?'_ he thought to himself.

He knew she would often hide her injuries to avoid people worrying about her, and every time she did, it only made him worry more. He had a gut feeling that that was exactly what she was doing with her arm now. His thoughts then shifted to Hazuki. He had made a vow when she was born to protect her and Sakura no matter the cost. He didn't know how to do that, though. Not after what the dragon had told him.

There was a soft knock on the door and Syaoran looked up, spotting Yuri wearing a smile.

"So, you're heading off with the queen?" he asked.

Syaoran nodded. "It's best for us not to wait."

"Did you find what you were looking for at the ruins?" Yuri asked.

"Yes, I suppose I did, in a sense." Syaoran murmured, "Thank you for everything you've done for me while I was here, Yuri."

"It's been a pleasure." Yuri answered, "I hope you and the queen can sort out your problems together."

Syaoran turned back to look at his bag, avoiding Yuri's eyes. "Thank you." He replied instead.

Syaoran lifted his satchel over his shoulder and sighed softly as he gave the room around him one last look. Then he turned and headed out of the room and towards the front door with Yuri behind him.

"Farewell." Syaoran said.

Yuri smiled, "You better save the world."

Syaoran returned his smile, "We will."

He turned and left, headed for the inn where he would meet up with the others. It was a dark night and the moon wasn't out, but Syaoran knew the paths well enough that he didn't need the extra light. As he neared the inn, he could hear the sound of singing coming from inside. He smiled a little as he listened to their drinking songs-they sometimes managed to pull him in for a drink or two if they were lucky, but he usually stayed away.

Gently, he pushed open the door and stepped inside; the singing got twice as loud and a loud shout erupted from amongst the crowd.

"Hey, if it isn't our King!"

Syaoran stopped and smiled at the people looking his way. The man who had announced his arrival made his way over and dragged Syaoran over to the table where the other men were, and sat him down.

"Get him a drink!"

Syaoran shook his head, "Oh-I really can't..."

"Nonsense," said the man as he slid a pint in front of Syaoran.

"It's not every day you get to drink with the King," one of the other men grinned.

Syaoran smiled, "Just one. There's somewhere I need to be."

They all cheered, drumming their hands on the tables. Syaoran lifted the mug to his lips and drank, which was followed by more loud cheering.

"Hey Akiho-I'd like another please!"

"Ah-coming!" the blonde replied.

Syaoran glanced up as he noticed Akiho was standing right beside him. She leant down slightly, "Your grace... Her majesty is watching you from over there."

He immediately shifted his gaze over to the entryway to Akiho and Kaito's living space, where Sakura was standing watching him. But he was surprised-she looked neither angry nor disgusted. She did look a little sad, though, and that bothered him.

"Sorry, I really have to go." He apologised to the group, which was followed up by groans of disappointment as he made his way over to Sakura.

"You looked like you were having fun." Sakura murmured. "I'm sorry I seemed to spoil that for you, or did you forget that our realm is dying?"

He sighed softly. "Sakura, we need to talk."

She smiled bitterly. "About what?"

"Us. Everything. It's all messed up."

"And whose fault is that?" she shot back.

Syaoran's amber eyes saddened. "You're right-it is my fault, but that doesn't mean you haven't hurt me."

"Is everything okay, you two?" Tomoyo asked as she stepped out, her amethyst eyes darting between the pair.

Sakura stepped back. "Everything is fine. We should get moving and try and cover as much area as we can."

Yue and Kero, who were both with Tomoyo, glanced at Syaoran briefly for a moment.

"Okay."

"Wait-before you go," Akiho stopped them. She held a small bag out to them, "Inside is something for you all to have on the road. Please stay safe."

Tomoyo stepped forward and accepted the small bag, "Thank you for all you have done for us, Akiho. However, I fear we may have to ask more of you soon."

Akiho blinked in confusion. "I'm sorry, I don't understand..."

"You haven't told her yet?" Tomoyo asked Syaoran.

"No. I got distracted from doing so when you suddenly turned up." He replied.

Akiho only looked more confused and Sakura rolled her eyes.

_'This is really out of character for Sakura. What the hell is going on with her?'_ Syaoran thought to himself.

"You can purify Darkness," Tomoyo began, "That's not an ability that everyone has."

"Let's make this short." Syaoran interrupted, "You're one of the Chosen. Like us, you're destined to help protect this realm from total destruction."

Akiho was speechless as she struggled to understand what he had just said.

"I'm sorry, but there is no time to explain." Tomoyo apologised.

"In the time you remain here, you should try and let that news sink in." Syaoran added.

Sakura smiled, "Farewell for now."

As they turned and left to head to the docks to catch a ferry, Akiho watched them until they were out of sight.

"Akiho!" Yuna called her name.

She jumped, startled, and quickly regained her composure. "Coming!"

...

The group were forced to stop when Sakura suddenly became too exhausted to go any further. She fell to her knees, her chest tight and making it hard to breath.

"Sakura!" Kero shouted her name with worry.

"I'm fine, Kero. I'm just tired." Sakura breathed.

"It's the Darkness, isn't it?" Tomoyo murmured sadly.

"Yes," she said, "But I'll be fine in a few moments. Just let me rest."

Syaoran noticed she was once again hiding her left arm in her cloak, confirming his suspicions that something was definitely wrong with it.

"We should eat dinner, then." He said. "We'll continue when you've regained your strength."

Sakura stared up at him, debating whether or not to snap at him, but she just nodded. She was too tired to fight with him.

Syaoran lit a small fire for them to sit around and give them some light, while Tomoyo pulled out the food Akiho had given them and divided it between the group. They ate in an awkward silence. Sakura didn't have the strength to talk about anything. She was exhausted both mentally and physically, and her only salvation were her thoughts of little Hazuki.

Syaoran was in a similar situation. To keep his mind from wandering, he removed the locket from beneath his shirt and opened it, revealing a photo of himself with Sakura and their baby daughter. He glanced up from the photo and eyed Sakura longingly. As much as he wanted to hold her in his arms again, he knew she was disgusted with him.

Again, frustration resurfaced as he thought about how she was so ready to sacrifice her life for the realm and leave him and Hazuki behind. Hazuki still needed her-HE still needed her. Why couldn't she see that?

Tomoyo sighed softly. She could easily tell why Syaoran was upset, but she was more concerned about Sakura. She knew she had been gone from the palace for a while, but maybe that was why she was noticing it more-something about Sakura was off.

Initially she just assumed it was natural for Sakura to be angry with Syaoran-after all, anyone would be if their most precious person just left without a word to them-but this was Sakura! Sakura was the sweetest, most kind person in the entire realm. She had the uncanny ability to see the light in every situation and person.

The Sakura she was with now... was not the same Sakura she grew up with. She was certain that Syaoran had realised, too.

"The food Akiho gave us is really nice." She said, deciding to break the silence looming over them.

Sakura smiled weakly while Kero sighed in bliss.

"I could eat a thousand of these things-heck, maybe more!"

Syaoran snorted, "A pig as always."

Kero glared at Syaoran, "What was that?"

"You heard me."

"He is right, you know." Yue added.

"Hey!" Kero snapped back.

Tomoyo laughed, "Things sure haven't changed between you two."

Syaoran leant his back against the tree behind him and finished eating his meal in silence. When they all finished, they relaxed for a little more until a familiar presence made itself known.

"There's a denizen close by." Yue murmured.

"And it's a powerful one too." Kero added.

Tomoyo frowned, "There's more and more powerful ones coming out these days..."

"What should we do?" Kero asked.

"We don't have time to confront it. Let's get moving before it takes notice of us." Sakura said as she stood, but her legs buckled beneath her from exhaustion.

"Keroberos, do you think you could carry Sakura for a while?" Syaoran murmured as he kicked dirt over the fire.

"Sure." Kero replied.

Sakura didn't even bother to argue. She climbed on top of his back, ready to get moving along with Syaoran, Tomoyo and Yue. They made certain to make as little noise as humanly possible as they continued through the forest. They just needed to make it to the docks that would take them to Lycoris. The denizen was nearby, but so far it hadn't sensed them yet.

They were almost there...

Just a bit farther...

A pair of gleaming red eyes stared at them from straight ahead.

"Shit." Syaoran swore, removing the flute from around his neck. "Tomoyo, do you think you could sing?"

"Of course," Tomoyo said, "But why not ask Sakura?"

"She's too exhausted for using magic." Syaoran replied.

_'Besides, I don't think she'll be able to use any of her magic right now, if my theory is correct...'_ he added silently.

"Okay!" Tomoyo agreed.

Syaoran lifted his flute to his lips and began playing. Tomoyo sang, but the beast persisted towards them. An arrow of light sailed past them and embedded itself in the shadowy figure, which howled in pain, and was followed by another arrow which then obliterated it. Breathless, Tomoyo turned to see Yue's bow of light disappearing since his job was done.

"Thank you." Syaoran said.

Yue nodded.

"There's an inn just up ahead." Tomoyo added, "We can get some rest and then head straight to Lycoris in the morning."

"Good idea." Sakura replied tiredly.

Syaoran lifted his hand to reach out to Sakura but stopped when he remembered the tension between them. The sooner they saw the Oracle, the better.

"Let's go." Syaoran murmured as he continued forward towards their destination. The others followed behind without any protest, all of them eager to get a decent night of sleep.

The inn was warm and inviting. It wasn't too loud nor was it quiet with several groups of people drinking with each other or eating a hot meal. Syaoran approached the inn keeper, an elderly man who was drying a beer mug with a cloth.

"Welcome-how may I help you this evening, sir?"

"We'd like a room for five, please." Syaoran murmured.

"Of course, sir." The man turned and grabbed a set of keys before turning around and handing it over to Syaoran. "Will you be needing anything else? A meal or a drink, perhaps?"

Syaoran took the key, "No, but thank you for the generous offer."

"Of course. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

Syaoran gave him a nod before turning and heading for the staircase leading up to the rooms. He checked the number on the key, finding a gold number seven on the end of it, and looked for the room number upon reaching the top of the stairs.

He spotted the room almost immediately up ahead, and stopped in front of the wooden door, sliding the key into the lock and turned it. The door clicked open. Gently, Syaoran pushed it open further to let the others in.

There were four beds and a couch; Sakura stumbled over to the nearest bed and collapsed on it, falling asleep immediately.

Tomoyo smiled gently and walked over, pulling the blankets up over her form before she sat down on the bed opposite.

None of them talked. They didn't want to disturb Sakura, but they were also just eager to climb into bed. It didn't take too long for Tomoyo to sleep, and thankfully, Syaoran was able to fall asleep without any trouble either.

…

Sakura woke in the morning with her body feeling heavy and her head throbbing. To add to that, she was feeling nauseated, too. She stood from the bed finding that Syaoran and Tomoyo had already left the room.

"They went out to find out when the ferry was coming in." Kero's voice sounded from the couch.

Sakura looked over as he jumped down onto the floor. He furrowed his brow in concern.

"Sakura, you're very pale..."

"I'm fine," she insisted.

Kero didn't look so sure.

"Where's Yue?" she asked.

"He's just outside the door. Syaoran asked him to stand watch while you were sleeping." Kero replied.

Sakura felt bitterness towards Syaoran rise within her once again. "Oh."

"They should be back any moment, though."

Sakura didn't say anything. Instead, she headed for the door and opened it, passed Yue and made her way down the stairs.

Kero had been right-Tomoyo and Syaoran we're back, but it looked as though something was bothering them. Syaoran and Tomoyo both spotted her; Syaoran frowned when he saw how pale she was.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked the pair.

Tomoyo looked worried, "It's the ferry-it's not running."

Sakura froze. "What?"

"It's one of the Shadow Warriors-it's blocking passage across the sea." Syaoran replied, "Fortunately, however, one of the army factions just arrived."

Sakura stormed right past them but Syaoran grabbed her hand. "Where are you going?"

"To see the commanding officer." She snapped.

"Then let's all go." Tomoyo said, "Chances are they'll need our help anyway."

Sakura just nodded as she ripped her hand free from Syaoran's, marching straight out the door of the inn.

_'It's all his fault.'_ That voice spoke in her mind, _'We wouldn't be in this mess if he hadn't run off.'_

Her head throbbed painfully, and her vision blurred for a split second. Ignoring it, she made her way towards the harbour with Syaoran and Tomoyo following behind-at the harbour was a large number of royal soldiers, all making their ways to their positions as ordered. At the front of them was a familiar face.

"Yamazaki!" Syaoran called out the general's name, instantly gaining his attention.

Yamazaki's eyes widened with surprise and he quickly knelt before the king and queen.

"You may rise." Sakura murmured.

"Forgive me for asking, but why is it that you are here, Your Graces?" Yamazaki asked.

"Long story short-we need to get to Lycoris as soon as possible." Syaoran replied.

Yamazaki just nodded. He knew not to press the situation-not when Syaoran had made it clear that they were in a hurry.

"We're about to lure out the Shadow Warrior," he said instead, "The plan is to send a group of soldiers out on a boat, as our intel states that the warrior rises from the sea when it senses people nearby."

"Well that explains why the ferry won't run." Kero grunted.

"Send me out." Syaoran said.

"What!?" Tomoyo and Yue shouted.

"Trying to be useful after you disappeared and left everyone behind?" Sakura snorted.

Syaoran flinched but he didn't retort.

"But sir..." Yamazaki murmured nervously.

"I promise you I won't die. And Sakura, I have something I need to talk to you about afterwards." Syaoran added.

She rolled her eyes. "Hmph."

Yamazaki sighed and nodded. "Okay."

"Tomoyo and I will join the other bards and sing." Sakura said.

"Yes, your grace." Yamazaki replied.

Sakura watched as Syaoran and Yamazaki left them to prepare the boat. Once again, her vision blurred slightly and the pounding in her head got a little worse, but only for a second.

"I really hope he'll be okay out there." Tomoyo murmured.

Sakura didn't say anything as she struggled to get a grip on herself. A small part of her was crying out for help but the other part of her squashed it quickly.

"Let's get ready." She said.

"Right."

While Tomoyo and Sakura got into place with the other bards, Syaoran made his way out in a wooden rowboat. If it got smashed to pieces, at least it wouldn't be a huge loss. He knew how to swim.

As expected, the Shadow Warrior rose from beneath the sea. It was a horrible, scaly sea serpent-like monster with huge dagger-like teeth and glowing orange eyes. It opened its jaws wide and let out an ear-shattering roar, the sound waves knocking soldiers off of their feet and some backward, but Syaoran was unaffected.

He pulled his flute out and began playing, then the rest of the bards began to follow suit, each playing their preferred instrument while singing.

_"Six winds blow as one. They will turn the tide._

_We are marching on, standing side by side_

_And we'll carry on until all the fire is gone _

_Blown away, away to lands beyond._

_Six winds blow as one. They will turn the tide. We are marching on, standing side by side_

_And we'll carry on until all the fire is gone _

_Blown away, away to lands beyond._

_Winds blow as one."_

Their singing pierced the air and the giant monster howled in pain, thrashing about in the sea and sending waves crashing into the soldiers. Syaoran fell from the boat and into the sea, resurfacing quickly and continuing to play his flute. Tomoyo furrowed her brow as she continued to sing, her eyes on Syaoran in the water.

Sakura sang with all the strength she could conjure within herself to banish the beast that was terrorising her people. She squashed the pain in her body, continuing to sing, focusing hard.

Despite half of the soldiers being washed away by waves, they got back onto their feet and prepared their strike as planned by their general. They each produced arrows of light, then let them loose and straight into the beast. Another howl of pain sounded as it writhed and twisted its body at unnatural angles, falling into the water-Syaoran played the final few notes, finishing the job off.

Although he was exhausted, Syaoran then proceeded to swim back to shore since the boat was destroyed during the beasts thrashing about. His heart fell when he saw countless bodies lying motionless on the ground. The tidal waves that had hit them were powerful and terrifying, but thankfully the town was alright. It had been built to withstand tidal waves, after all.

"We lost so many again." Yamazaki murmured.

Syaoran couldn't find the strength to say anything.

_'This is my fault.'_ He thought.

Tomoyo approached him with an exhausted looking Sakura, who was now paler than she had been earlier.

"We should head back to the inn so you can get dry and Sakura can get some rest." Tomoyo murmured.

"You're right." Syaoran agreed.

"Yue, would you mind carrying me, please?" Sakura asked breathlessly.

"Of course." Yue replied, and proceeded to lift Sakura in his arms.

"We'll talk later, Yamazaki." Syaoran added tiredly.

"Of course." Yamazaki murmured, letting them go.

Upon reaching the inn, Yue set Sakura back down on her feet. She turned to head for the stairs, but this time Syaoran grabbed her arm firmly.

"Let go." She growled.

Syaoran stepped closer and she turned to meet his fierce gaze. Then, he lifted her arm up to reveal the bandages on her arm which she had been concealing.

"I knew it." He growled and whirled on Yue and Kero, "Why the hell would you hide this from me!?"

"Why do you care!?" Sakura shouted, gaining the attention of everyone in the inn.

"You're the Queen! You and I are the only ones who can save this realm!" he yelled back, "And your wound is contaminated with Darkness! You should have told me sooner!"

"How dare-"

Sakura stopped mid-sentence as she coughed up a mouthful of blood. The last thing she saw before everything went black was the look of pure terror on Syaoran's face as she vomited up more blood.

* * *

**Oof :P **

**Questions, concerns or any general comments?**

**The song featured in this chapter is 'If I Die In Battle' by Van Canto. **


	7. All My Life

**Hi again :) Just a warning-there is a smut scene in this chapter. But you'll get to find out more about Sakura's hostility! So i hope you enjoy**

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They all stared in horror as blood dripped down Sakura's front. She stood, shocked, before she suddenly lost consciousness and fell to the ground. Syaoran was the first to react as he caught her in his arms, crying her name.

"Sakura!"

"Call a doctor!" someone else shouted, but he didn't care to look to find out who.

He gently shook her in a weak attempt to get her to wake up, and when it became apparent that she wouldn't, he placed two fingers against the pulse in her neck.

"A doctor won't be able to help her," Syaoran said, "I need warm water and something to wipe the blood away with. Get moving!"

Tomoyo scurried to get the things he needed while the inn keeper approached. Before the man could say anything, Syaoran spoke.

"Do you have a room available that will give us some privacy, please?"

"Yes sir-this way!" he spun around and sped down the hall.

Syaoran lifted Sakura in his arms. The colour from her face was fading drastically along with her body temperature and pulse.

The room the inn keeper led him to was small, but it would do the job; it had a double bed and a bedside table, and the curtains covered the windows so that no light got inside.

Sakura coughed up another mouthful of blood. Trying his best not to panic, Syaoran placed her gently in the sheets and started removing her clothing. He needed to warm up her body as well as purify the darkness in her.

"Leave the rest to me." He said, subtly telling everyone to get out.

"Here's the hot water and cloth. Be careful." Tomoyo placed the basin of hot water on the bedside table and left, pulling the door closed behind her.

As soon as Syaoran finished removing Sakura's clothes, he removed his own and climbed beneath the blankets beside her, holding her close as he began to circulate his own magic through her body.

_'Please don't die.'_ He prayed, _'I'll do anything... just... don't leave me.'_

...

Sakura snuggled into the warmth beside her, feeling comforted. She was exhausted and struggled to remember what had happened, her memory hazy and even broken in some parts. She remembered her feelings of hatred and disgust for the person she loved most.

_'No... that wasn't me._'

The Darkness. It had been invading her mind and slowly poisoning her. Her eyes flew open as she remembered everything that had happened, right up to her close call with death. She was met with the familiar presence and features of her husband for the first time with a clear mind and head. Tears welled up in her eyes and slid down her face, her throat tightening.

"Syaoran..."

Hearing her voice, Syaoran woke instantly. He met her emerald orbs, seeing she was crying.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly.

She buried her face in his chest as she hugged him close, sobbing uncontrollably. He returned her embrace and rubbed her back gently as he murmured soothing words.

"It's okay," he murmured softly, "It's okay..."

Sakura wasn't sure what she was feeling-it was too overwhelming. Part of her felt guilt for how she had been treating him the last few days; another part of her felt joy. Fear, anger and love were also among the abundance of emotions she was feeling.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed, "I've been so cruel-"

He cut her off as he rested his forehead against hers, "It's alright. I know it wasn't you."

Sakura shook her head. "But a small part of me was angry," she sobbed, "I knew why you had left-I knew you were looking for a way to save me."

Syaoran just held her tighter. It was best to let her get it all out of her system-that they were honest with each other.

"I didn't want you to go! I wanted us to look together." She sobbed, "I've missed you."

Syaoran felt all of his guilt crash down on him. He had never meant to hurt her or their daughter, and yet he had.

"I'm so sorry I caused you pain." He apologised, "I'm sorry..."

"Don't go off on your own again." She begged.

He hugged her tighter. "I won't."

"Promise?"

"I swear it."

Sakura seemed satisfied with his answer as she fell silent, simply content with being in his arms and next to him again. She ran her fingers over his skin as if to reacquaint herself, stopping when she noticed him flinch. She furrowed her brow as she recalled a hazy memory of when he had been knocked off the boat during the battle with the Shadow Warrior.

"You're injured." She murmured with worry as she lifted her eyes to meet his.

He smiled a little. "I'll be okay with some time."

She looked unsure so he gently cupped her cheek. "I promise. It's just some bruising."

Sakura frowned, "If you're lying..."

"I'm not." He replied sincerely.

She sighed softly. "I'm sorry. I'm being paranoid."

"I think it's perfectly reasonable given everything that's happened. How is your head?" Syaoran added.

"Everything is a little fuzzy at the moment. The only things I can remember with any clarity are my moments with Hazuki." Her expression became distant and worried.

"She's with Yukito and Eriol, right? She'll be fine." He assured her.

"I miss her." She whispered.

Syaoran did too. The last time he saw Hazuki was a little over a year ago.

As they lay together, Sakura looked around the room finding it was only lit by a small lamp on the bedside table.

"What time is it...?"

"A little past sunset." He replied. "We can catch the ferry tomorrow morning, after you've gotten more rest."

Sakura just nodded. She was exhausted and barely felt like she could move from bed just yet.

He moved to sit up, but she stopped him. "Wait," she pleaded, "I just want some more time alone with you."

He smiled softly and kissed her temple. "After we've eaten."

She pouted, making him laugh. She had missed his laugh and his smile, the warmth he gave her and only one other person beside her: Hazuki.

She watched as he got dressed and he picked up his bag, pulling another shirt out and tossed it over to her.

"I'll be back shortly."

The door clicked shut just as she pulled it over her head. It hung loose on her frame, but Syaoran's shirts always did. It was a male shirt, after all. She lay back down, everything aching from the poison of Darkness, and stared up at the roof.

A scratching sounded at the door, "Sakura, are you okay? Can we come in?" Kero called out.

"Oh-yes!" Sakura answered.

The door opened and Kero walked in with Yue and Tomoyo behind him. She sat back up and smiled.

"I'm sorry for worrying you." She apologised.

They all looked relieved. "You're back to your old self again."

She nodded, "Everything is still a bit hazy, but I do remember most things."

"For a while there we thought you might kill Syaoran for leaving." Kero said.

Sakura lowered her gaze, sadness spreading across her features.

"Er-But hey, it's great that you're feeling better!" he tried to add on a more cheerful note.

Tomoyo stepped forward holding a white folded garment, "I made this for you." She said, "Your other dress got blood all over it..."

"Thank you Tomoyo." Sakura smiled gently, "Do you have my bag, by any chance?"

"It's with Syaoran's things. When you were stable, he asked for both of your bags to be brought down." Tomoyo explained.

"Did you need something from it?" Kero asked.

"No, I was just wondering." Sakura said.

"How are you feeling, by the way?" Yue asked.

"Quite sore," she admitted, "But I'll be back on my feet before you know it."

They all smiled. This was the Sakura they knew and loved.

"Good to hear." Syaoran said as he walked in with the waitress, who was carrying her meal on a tray.

"We'll leave the two of you to rest, then. You must both be exhausted." Tomoyo added gently.

"Thank you, Tomoyo." Syaoran answered.

She gave him a knowing smile as she passed him, with Kero and Yue following behind.

The waitress placed the tray on the bedside table, "Please let us know if you need anything else, your majesties."

"Thank you." Sakura smiled gently.

The waitress bowed before leaving, the door clicking shut behind her.

Syaoran sat down and pulled Sakura into a tight hug, surprising her.

"Syaoran?"

"I honestly thought you hated me." He whispered.

Sakura relaxed and returned his hold. She didn't need to say anything to calm him down-her actions spoke louder, her touch more calming and soothing than any words could be.

Syaoran parted after a long moment, "You should eat."

"Have you eaten?" she asked, "You've been with me all day, haven't you?"

Just then, there was a knock at the door followed by Tomoyo's voice.

"Syaoran, the waitress has your meal here. Can she enter?"

"Yes." He answered.

Tomoyo opened the door, letting the waitress in to leave his meal on the other bedside table before quickly leaving again. Sakura hid her smile behind her hand as he handed over her meal.

"Do you know what has happened with the soldiers who were here?" Sakura asked as she began to eat.

"When I spoke with Tomoyo earlier, she said that they had to leave rather urgently." Syaoran replied, "Which is a shame... I wanted to speak with Yamazaki and get better insight on the recent events. I've heard bits and pieces of information, but nothing solid."

Sakura lowered her eyes for a moment. "We've lost so many of our soldiers and our people..."

"Which is why it is imperative we see the Oracle as soon as we can."

"But what if he can't give us any answers," she whispered, "What if... we'll have to use our last resort?"

"I know you're scared." He spoke softly, "I am too. But for now, we need to focus on what we can do."

She smiled gently, "You're right."

After they finished eating, Syaoran told Sakura about the different places he had visited and the things he had found while he had been busy searching for a way to save her life. She listened with contentment, smiling as he talked.

"Nothing compares to the ruins and the dragon though," he murmured, "I always believed they were creatures of myth."

"We all did." Sakura smiled, "But still..."

He entwined his fingers with hers, giving her gentle hand a squeeze. She looked at him, holding his amber gaze, and he carefully leant in. Syaoran pressed his lips against hers in a soft and gentle kiss, parting from her after a second. They watched each other for a moment, searching each other's gazes until she pulled him in for another. This time, however, it was fuelled with need and desire-Syaoran parted to lift the shirt she was wearing from her frame, his eyes drifting over her pale skin as he took in her beauty. It had been a long time since he had last seen her body, and it was just as he remembered.

She watched him for a moment before she moved to pull his shirt off over his head, tossing it on the floor and cupping his cheek with her hand to pull him towards her. Syaoran threaded his fingers through the hair at the base of her skull while his other cupped one of her full breasts, his thumb rubbing over her nipple.

A small mewl of bliss crept up her throat as he smiled against her lips, then he parted in favour of trailing kisses down her neck, stopping at her collar bone and nipping her skin to leave his mark before continuing to her breasts.

Sakura threaded her fingers through his dark hair and curled her toes in the sheets as she struggled not to make any noise that might give them away while he pleasured her breasts, but then he trailed his hand down slowly over her stomach, stopping to cup her wet heat. He lifted his eyes to watch her expression as he parted her folds with a finger, finding her sensitive bundle of nerves. As he started rolling it beneath his finger, her breath grew heavier and her face scrunched up in pleasure. She could feel familiar pressure building in her abdomen as he continued to stroke, but never enter her.

She opened her glassy eyes to look at him pleadingly, but he just smiled. Syaoran continued to roll her sensitive pearl beneath his finger, stopping only to duck his head between her legs. Then, he drew one, slow lick between her folds before lavishing her pearl with attention.

Sakura covered her mouth so no sound could come out as her body quivered beneath his ministrations. It had been a long time since they had last had sex, but she had never forgotten his touch or how he always made sure to put her needs first.

The pressure in her womb released as she came, a rush of fluid spreading between her legs. After a moment, Syaoran parted in favour of peeling his pants down, discarding them on the floor, then positioned himself at Sakura's entrance.

He reminded himself that it had been a while, so he needed to be cautious.

"Tell me if you need to stop." He murmured softly.

Sakura felt her cheeks warm as she smiled, happy tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"I know." She whispered.

Gently, he entered her. She winced a little but adjusted quickly, bucking her hips to tell him to start moving. He complied, starting with a steady pace, pulling out almost to the tip before thrusting back in again. She lifted her hips to meet each thrust while she dug her nails into his back, arching back her neck.

The pressure in her womb was back, only this time more intense than before. She moaned quietly in his ear with each thrust, a thin sheen of sweat covering their bodies.

"Faster," she begged in his ear.

Syaoran complied. He shifted his hips slightly, striking something deep within her that made her want to cry out with ecstasy. The pressure in her womb continued to build, feeling similar to a coil winding tighter and tighter, each of his thrusts bringing her teetering close to the edge. Finally, it burst and her muscles clamped down around his member, bringing him over the edge and spilling his seed inside her.

Breathing heavily against her neck, he found her hands with his and gave them a gentle squeeze before pulling out and rolling off of her body so he didn't crush her. Syaoran pulled the blankets up over their sweaty bodies and pulled her close, lifting his hand to brush her hair out of her eyes.

"I love you." She smiled as crystal happy tears slid down her cheeks.

He gently wiped them away with his thumb before cupping her cheek and kissing her lips softly.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly.

"Nothings wrong," She whispered, "I'm just so happy to be back with you."

Syaoran smiled. "I love you too."

Sakura traced her finger over his collar bones for a moment before snuggling close to him. She was exhausted, her eyelids growing heavy as sleep started to take over.

"Sweet dreams, my love." He whispered as she closed her eyes, soon drifting off to sleep.

...

Akiho looked out her window at the dark clouded horizon. She had been feeling anxious ever since the queen and her companions had left, and she wasn't sure why. The only thing she knew for certain was that something was wrong. The way the Queen acted towards her husband and even the way she spoke to others was not the queen she had heard in stories from travellers. The Queen she heard about and the Queen she had met almost seemed like two entirely different people, and yet not. There had been moments when she had seen a gentle softness in the Queen's aura, but most of the time she seemed quite cold. In all of the stories she had heard, everyone had said that the woman who watched over them was as warm as the sun, yet they no longer remembered what the sun felt like.

"Is something on your mind, Akiho?" Momo asked from where she sat on the counter.

Akiho looked over, wondering what she should say. "Well... It just feels like something is off."

"What do you mean?" Yuna asked as he walked in.

"Well... Everything I've heard about her contradicts with the woman I met." She said, "And yet, there were times when I was with her when it didn't."

"This is a time of war." Momo pointed out.

"I know that," Akiho said as she swept the floor in front of herself. "But..."

Yuna walked over and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Have you heard what the Queen's unbeatable spell is?"

Akiho's curiosity piqued and she shook her head.

Yuna smiled. "It is not a magic spell, but a very strong belief in herself. "Everything will surely be alright.""

Akiho looked confused and worried. "Can she really defeat the darkness with that spell?"

"I'm sure she can." He said, "After all, everyone she loves is by her side."

Akiho looked back out the window. She prayed that he was right.

...

The group left or Lycoris island early the next morning, with Sakura riding on Kero's back as she still felt quite weak. With the Warrior of Darkness eradicated, the ferry was now back in business much to their relief.

"We should get there just after noon." Tomoyo said as they boarded the ferry.

"All we have to do once we get there is locate the Oracle." Yue added.

"That shouldn't be too difficult. We can ask the people who live there." Sakura spoke.

Syaoran nodded. "That should be easy enough."

"Hey Sakura," Kero said, "Did you notice that no one else is on the boat to go to Lycoris? Wouldn't people be happy for the ferry to be back in service?"

"It's possible they're still worried about it being unsafe." Tomoyo added, and Sakura nodded agreement.

"I don't think it's anything to worry about. The Warrior was only defeated yesterday." Sakura continued.

Syaoran looked towards the island they were headed too, uncertainty brewing within him. He wasn't sure what, but something felt off.

"Sakura, don't stray from Yue and Kerberos." He murmured. "I doubt we're safe at all."

Sakura looked at Syaoran for a moment before nodding her head. For now, all they could do was wait out the ride.

And while they waited, Sakura took the time to assess her connection with the realm. From what she could sense from the world she was connected to, most of it had been taken over by Darkness already. There were small patches it hadn't reached yet, that much she could feel, but even she couldn't pinpoint their exact locations.

"Hazuki..." She whispered her daughter's name as if it were some kind of prayer, looking up as Syaoran squeezed her hand.

She could see the same worry and fear she felt in his eyes-the worry that their daughter might not be safe, or worse.

"I'm sure the Oracle will be able to help us." He said reassuringly.

Sakura rested her head against his shoulder in response. "I hope so." She whispered.

"We've arrived." Tomoyo announced as she walked towards them.

Sakura nodded and they stood to leave. She climbed back on Kero's back, still too weak to walk, and they left the ferry, stepping onto the wooden pier. Syaoran was the first to sense something was really off, but the others quickly noticed it too.

It was dead quiet. There was no sound of leaves rustling in the gentle wind or the sound of birds chirping. The water was still. There was not a sound to be heard.

The Darkness had spread to Lycoris.

* * *

**Bam. What's in store for them next? Do you have any predictions? **

**Please review pretty pretty please? (As always, constructive criticism is welcome)**


	8. The Oracle

**Hi everyone! Happy New Year! I'm so sorry It's taken me a while to get this chapter up-December is a super busy month for me haha. I hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

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As they walked through the eerie forest, Sakura's mind lingered on thoughts of what had happened to the residents who lived on the small island. So far, they had not come across a single soul, leading her to believe that they had either succumbed to the Darkness, or they had been killed and eaten by denizens. She shuddered at the thought and her eyes watered as she mourned the loss of more souls.

"Sakura," Syaoran spoke for the first time in the last hour, "Don't give up just yet."

Her tears spilled down her cheeks as she moved to wipe them away. "I know," she whispered, "And I haven't... but someone needs to mourn the lives lost here."

"You're not alone." He murmured before continuing to trudge on through the forest.

"It seems like Syaoran is taking everything pretty hard..." Tomoyo added, "He's been searching and searching, but..."

"Do you think the Oracle would still even be on an island that's been taken over by Darkness? It's so dangerous-and we're lucky we haven't come across a single denizen yet." Kero said as they walked.

"I don't know. The Oracle, after all, is a rather tricky man." Yue added.

"The possibility remains, so we will keep looking." Sakura said in a finalising tone.

"Speaking of denizens-look up ahead." Syaoran murmured.

A large, bear-like creature appeared to be moving about amongst the trees. It's eerie glowing red eyes were visible even from so far away.

"What should we do?" Kero asked.

"We should try not to attract its attention. Sakura's still weakened and so am I." Syaoran answered, "So I don't want to fight unless we absolutely must."

"Understood."

"Get back," Yue murmured, pushing them all back into the thick bushes. They all got down against the cold forest floor, careful not to make a single sound, and that was when they heard it-the sound of hooves on the ground getting closer.

Soon a black shadowy horse and a figure riding it passed them, stopping for a moment to look around as if it were suspicious. Sakura could hear her heart pounding against her rib cage as Syaoran held her close, also feeling the familiar feeling of terror of having a shadow warrior so close to them. Waiting felt like an eternity and they were all relieved when they heard the creature leave, disappearing into the rest of the forest.

"That was a close call." Kero breathed.

"No kidding." Tomoyo agreed. "I thought for sure that it was going to sense us."

"We should hurry before it does." Syaoran added, "I don't know how much longer Sakura can cope being here."

Tomoyo looked over at Sakura who was looking even more exhausted than before and they were forced to remember that Sakura's life was tied to the realm of light, as was Hazuki's.

So, they carried on in a hurry, evading denizens with difficulty-whenever they thought they were safe, another would appear nearby.

"There's so many of them," Kero groaned.

"What did you expect? This place has been overtaken by Darkness." Yue rolled his eyes.

"Oh shit..." Tomoyo murmured, looking straight ahead at the threat.

Syaoran felt his stomach drop when he saw the Shadow Warrior up ahead. They couldn't beat them-not in their current state. They were all still weak from their last battle, and Sakura was still recovering from being poisoned by Darkness.

"Run," Syaoran breathed, hating that they were being forced into the decision. He had always fought his enemies and never ran away, but he was also wise enough to know that if they chose to fight, they would die, and they had a mission that needed to be seen through. Facing this enemy could wait.

They turned and they fled through the trees as fast as they could, with the Warrior chasing after them. Sakura tried not to listen to the sound of hooves getting closer.

_'There's no way we can outrun this thing.'_ She thought to herself fearfully, but quickly shook her head. She needed to have faith.

"Can we stall it?" Tomoyo asked breathlessly.

"I don't think so," Syaoran replied, "Remember, it took a whole squad to take down the one at the lake!"

"Then what do we do? We can't just run!" Kero quipped.

Sakura glanced over her shoulder again, only to see the warrior run straight into what she guessed was some kind of invisible barrier.

"What-!?"

"It must be the Oracle's doing." Kero breathed, "There's a door up ahead."

Sakura turned her attention to the front to see that there was indeed a lone door standing up ahead, waiting to be opened.

They didn't bother to wait and see if it was safe-not with the Warrior on their tails-and they didn't know how long the barrier would hold-so they went straight through it only to begin falling.

Sakura and Tomoyo yelped while Syaoran let slip a few curse words. Kero managed to steady himself by unfurling his wings but knocked Sakura off of his back by doing so. She shrieked as she fell and squeezed her eyes shut, opening them when she felt Yue catch her safely.

Syaoran and Tomoyo landed with a thud on the ground, groaning in pain, while Kero landed a little clumsily and Yue landed gently on his feet with Sakura in his arms.

"It appears I have visitors." Came an unfamiliar voice.

Yue gently set Sakura on her feet and she looked over to see they were now in a room that resembled a lounge, with a plush red rug and a warm fire crackling away in the fireplace. Sitting in a large, red armchair was a kind looking man with his long black hair tied back and a pair of round spectacles sitting on his nose, and he wore black and blue robes with gold accents.

"Are you... the Oracle?" Syaoran asked as he got back onto his feet.

"Indeed I am. My name is Clow Reed." The man spoke gently. "And, of course, I already know who you are."

The small group of companions looked at each other briefly before Syaoran stepped forward.

"Please forgive us for disturbing you," he started, "We've come to seek your advice."

Sakura stepped up to Syaoran's side hesitantly, glancing up at her husband for a brief second before turning her attention back to the Oracle.

"Please...is there perhaps a hidden prophecy-or some way or chance-to survive this war?" she pleaded, hoping that he might have the key.

Clow studied the group for a while. They all waited anxiously for his words of wisdom. Finally, he locked eyes with Syaoran.

"Rise up and fight your misery. Step right into your destiny and unite all in harmony." Clow spoke, "Renew the blessing... and fight with a mighty heart."

Sakura furrowed her brow in confusion, "Renew the blessing...? You don't mean...?"

"The blessing of light from the dragons." Tomoyo finished.

"How can we convince the dragon though?" Kero asked.

"I don't know, but we have to." Sakura murmured.

Syaoran clenched his fists. "You're saying I should just accept that there's nothing I can do to save Sakura's life-that there is no hope for her?"

"There is always light, wherever there is darkness. If you wish to be free, then raise your voice." Clow replied cryptically, which only upset Syaoran more.

Before he could lash out, however, Sakura took his hand in hers and squeezed it gently. He looked at her with sadness that almost broke her heart.

"We won't give up." She said softly, and he nodded weakly.

"Okay." That's right. He needed to have hope for the future. He needed to have faith in his voice.

"Syaoran, I hope you don't mind my asking, but there's something that's been bothering me since I found you in that small village..." Tomoyo started, trailing off for a moment.

Syaoran didn't respond, so she assumed she had permission to continue.

"What has happened to your songs?" she asked.

Sakura looked at Syaoran with confusion only to see him looking away, ashamed.

"Syaoran...?" she murmured gently, trailing off as she realised what Tomoyo was asking.

Ever since they had reunited, Syaoran had not sung one song. Not even when they were up against the Shadow Warrior the morning prior. And suddenly the Oracle's words made much more sense.

"I've been running away this whole time...and I've only hurt you and Hazuki in the process. I'm so sorry." He whispered.

Sakura watched him sadly, unsure what to do for him. The positions they were in were hard to face, no matter who was in them.

"You locked away your voice because you were scared? That was lame." Kero scoffed, earning himself a fierce glare from Sakura.

"He's right. I can't wallow in self-pity anymore." Syaoran said, "I won't fail you-not again."

Sakura just smiled, "I believe in you."

It took all he had to not break down in front of Sakura. Despite everything he had done-despite running away from their destiny-she still had faith in him and his songs.

Clow smiled kindly at the group, "You have a long journey ahead of you. Perhaps you should rest?"

Sakura shook her head, "Thank you for your kind offer, but we're running out of time. We must get back to Alyrias."

"Very well. Unfortunately, I am unable to help you with safety of passage... that is all up to you." The man spoke gently.

"We understand. Thank you for all of your help." Syaoran replied.

"Farewell, Children of Light."

As soon as Clow finished his sentence, the group found themselves falling once again, no longer in the warm lounge but in the middle of the air instead.

"Damn it, Clow!" Kero shouted to the winds as they fell, but they went unanswered and continued to fall.

...

The same dream that had been plaguing Akiho for months startled her awake. She was covered in a cold sweat and her heart was racing from adrenaline. She could still feel the fear she had in her dream when she watched everything being engulfed by Darkness, and the helplessness of not being able to do anything to stop it.

"Did you have that dream again Akiho?" Momo asked her from where she sat beside Akiho's pillow.

Akiho nodded. "Yeah..."

She was starting to realise that the dream was no ordinary dream, but rather a warning of what was to come.

"Am I having these dreams because I'm one of the chosen?" she wondered aloud.

"Did his majesty mention anything about such dreams?" Momo asked.

Akiho shook her head. "No, he didn't, and neither did the queen or Lady Tomoyo." She replied.

"You'll be seeing them again, if what they said is true. Perhaps you should ask about the dreams." Momo suggested.

Akiho nodded again, "Yeah, I think I will."

"Try and get some more sleep. You need it." Momo added, making Akiho smile again.

"Thank you, Momo... I'll try."

She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes again, trying to fall back to sleep.

She woke again at the time she would usually get up and went through her usual morning routine. She had not realised that she hadn't been paying attention to her work until Yuna grabbed her arm to stop her from tripping and falling over one of the wooden tables.

"Careful-you don't want to hurt yourself." He spoke gently.

"Sorry-I'll be more careful next time." Akiho apologised, "It's that dream... I can't stop thinking about it and our Queen."

Yuna smiled sympathetically. "A lot has happened in the last few days. I'm not surprised you're a bit out of sorts."

Akiho sighed softly as she sat down on one of the chairs. "Do you think they're alright? Her Majesty was injured, but she wouldn't let me tell anyone..."

"The King is a very sharp man. He'll have noticed that something is wrong, at the very least. It's also likely that he's already confronted her about it." Yuna assured her.

Akiho furrowed her brow. "The Queen... There was something off about her when she was here, but I'm not sure what."

"You're really worried for her, aren't you?" He smiled. "You're a sweet girl, Akiho."

Akiho's face turned tomato red.

"Will you be okay to work? You don't have to." Yuna added politely.

She smiled, "I'll be fine, I promise."

He eyed her for a short moment as if he were thinking about something, but then nodded. "Alright. Here's a list of things we need-would you mind going out to get them?"

Akiho took the slip of paper from his hand, "I'll go now, then."

"Thank you. Take care out there." He added.

"I will!" she beamed, and then headed back to her room to grab the things she needed for going out.

Worrying would get her nowhere, she realised, so the best she could do for now was wait and pray for their safety until they returned.

...

Syaoran, Tomoyo and Kero all groaned in pain after they crash landed in the middle of nowhere. Kero clambered to his feet, staggering a little, while Yue gently touched down on the ground with Sakura safely in his arms. Syaoran sat up and rubbed his aching back, muttering a few curse words under his breath, while Tomoyo managed to pull herself to her feet.

"Is everyone okay?" Sakura asked with concern.

"We're fine," Syaoran grunted.

"Fine?! We nearly DIED." Kero growled. "That bloody Oracle-what was he thinking, dropping us off in the middle of the air like that!?"

"Um... I don't think we'll be needing to catch a ferry back." Tomoyo said.

Sakura and Syaoran looked around, and while Sakura's memory was still a little hazy, Syaoran instantly recognised where they were.

"The ruins." He murmured.

"Oh, how convenient. It would have been nice if we didn't nearly DIE." Kero rolled his eyes sarcastically.

"You could have used your wings, you know." Yue snorted.

"Oh, shut up, mister wise guy." Kero snapped.

"You're the one complaining."

Sakura walked over to Tomoyo, "You're not hurt, are you?"

Tomoyo smiled and shook her head. "Just a bit bruised. You don't need to worry, Sakura."

Sakura sighed softly with relief before turning to inspect Syaoran.

"I'm fine, love." He murmured as Sakura fussed over him.

"No, you're not-your arm is bleeding!" she cried.

"It can be bandaged. It doesn't hurt much anyway." He reassured her, though she still looked quite worried.

Tomoyo smiled, "Here, let me treat it. We can't have our King getting any infections."

Sakura relaxed as Tomoyo walked over to them and examined Syaoran's arm. She pulled out her canteen and poured some water onto the wound to clean it, then ripped some fabric from the hem of her cloak to use as a makeshift bandage.

"Thank you Tomoyo," Sakura smiled gratefully at her close friend.

"Thanks," Syaoran added.

"You're very welcome." Tomoyo smiled.

"Hey," Kero said, "Do you think we should try and talk to big old Scales in there since we're here?"

Sakura frowned with disapproval. "That's not the proper way to refer to an ancient being, Kero."

Kero rolled his eyes.

"I think we should. We were dropped here for a reason, and we know that time is running out." Syaoran said.

Sakura looked over at the entrance to the cave. She could recall the last meeting clearly, except for a few minor moments that were a bit hazy.

"Sakura?" Tomoyo called her name.

"Sorry, I was just thinking..." Sakura cleared her throat, "I agree with Syaoran. But...I get the feeling it's not going to be easy to get the dragon to cooperate with us."

"What makes you say that?" Yue asked.

"It's...just a feeling I have." She murmured as she started making her way over to the cave entrance.

The rest followed behind, stopping at the blocked entrance while Sakura gently placed her palm against the cool stone. She remembered what she had done last time to open the doors clearly, so she had no need to worry. As the doors slid open, Syaoran glanced at his wife.

"Sakura, about your memory..." Syaoran murmured, "You mentioned some parts were hazy while others were clear."

She nodded. "I think the parts I remember clearly are times when I was least influenced by Darkness..."

She suddenly became quiet and her expression remorseful.

"Do you remember anything about the hazy moments?" he then asked.

"I... I remember arguing with you. Specifically the anger and..." she trailed off, her eyes watering.

"I should apologise for what I said and did." Syaoran confessed. "I wasn't pleasant to deal with."

Kero cleared his throat, "We're not here to talk about your relationship issues. Was there a point to your question?"

Syaoran shot him a cold glare, but he understood that now was not the time for him and Sakura to be discussing their personal problems. He looked at Sakura who was wiping her tears from her eyes.

"Do you remember much of our previous meeting with the Dragon?" he asked.

She nodded. "Most of it."

"Okay... That's good, then."

Then, they made their way into the cave in silence. Sakura found herself searching for Syaoran's hand to hold, her fingers brushing against his. He curled his fingers around her hand and squeezed it gently as if to comfort her, knowing that her mind was likely still stuck on what had happened between them.

"We'll talk about it later." He said softly.

Sakura nodded. For now, their personal problems had to wait.

A familiar rumbling growl let them know they were nearing their destination, and soon they could see the colourings of the old dragon's scales. As they stepped out into the open space where the dragon lay, it opened its enormous green eyes and fixated on the group, blinking once.

"Why have you come?" the beast asked, neither pleased to see them nor seemed to be bothered.

Sakura stepped forward, determined to do whatever it took to save her realm.

"We deeply apologise for disturbing you once again, but please believe me when I say that we would not have done so if it were not imperative." She spoke sincerely.

The dragon eyed her with something akin to curiosity. "I see... You have managed to purify the darkness within you."

There was silence for a long moment, and then the dragon spoke again.

"What have you come to me for?"

"We spoke with the Oracle." Sakura stated, "I beg of you-we need your blessing of Light. Our powers are fading and the only way for us to defeat the Darkness is if our blessing is renewed."

The dragon narrowed its eyes. "Why should I help?"

"You live in this world too, don't you?" Syaoran snapped, "Don't you care what happens to it?"

"I am a dragon. I care little for the things that humans do." They replied.

"You mean you don't care what happens to the lakes or the land? The creatures?" Tomoyo blurted out.

"Please, I'm begging you... Allow us to take the Firevows." Sakura pleaded.

The dragon remained silent as it continued to eye Sakura thoughtfully, while Sakura kept her head high and her face determined.

"You really do have the same soul as that woman." It murmured, "I admire your determination. Very well, I will give you my blessing of Light."

Sakura smiled with relief, "Thank you," she whispered.

"However," they continued, "Do not expect me to fight your wars."

"I understand." Sakura replied.

"Hold it." Syaoran growled. "This war with Darkness isn't just our war-it's the entire realms."

Sakura looked at Syaoran with shock.

"Don't you understand? There will be no light left in the world! You will die too!"

"Young bard, I have been alive for Millennia. I do not fear death."

"If you have any love for this world, you should fight to protect it." Syaoran said coldly before turning and walking away.

Sakura was torn between going after Syaoran and staying with the dragon.

"I deeply apologise for my husband's words," she said, "I will see to it that preparations are made for the ceremony to be held tomorrow. I promise you that we will not bother you again."

"I will be waiting." The beast rumbled, then closed its eyes.

Sakura then turned and ran after Syaoran, despite knowing her body was still recovering.

"Wait!" Kero shouted, running after her with Yue and Tomoyo right behind him.

They caught up with Syaoran just as they exited the cave. Sakura, breathless, reached out and took his hand to stop him from going any further.

"Syaoran, please..." she breathed, "They have agreed to the ceremony-we can't ask them for any more than that."

"I'm sorry Sakura," Syaoran apologised, "I just find it hard to believe that they care so little for our realm. The dragons gave us their blessing once, so why does this one seem to no longer care?"

"Syaoran..." Sakura wasn't sure what to say. She understood his frustration, and while she did wonder about those very things herself, she knew that it was not her place to ask.

"We need to go to the village and have them prepare the necessary things for the ceremony." Syaoran then changed topic.

Sakura nodded, and as she went to put one foot in front of the other, she fell to her knees, startling Syaoran and the others.

"Forgive me," she apologised, "I guess I overestimated myself. Kero, would you mind...?"

"I really wish you'd stop scaring us like that." Tomoyo breathed.

As Sakura moved to climb onto Kero's back, Syaoran picked her up instead.

"I'll carry you." He murmured. "And Tomoyo is right."

Sakura didn't have the strength to argue. Instead she just let him carry her back down to the village in silence.

* * *

**I hope to hear from you soon TT_TT**

**Next chapter should be up next week or so, I believe. **


	9. Firevows

**I really am terrible to sticking to my own timeline, aren't I :/ sorry bout that. Hope you enjoy :)**

* * *

With everything she needed in her basket, Akiho started making her way back to the inn. The smell of freshly cooked bread caught her attention and her stomach rumbled, making her aware that it was probably time for lunch. She stood for a moment, wondering if she should eat once she got back to the inn or if it would be okay to eat while she was out.

_'There's no harm in eating something on the way back...'_ she thought to herself as her feet carried her over to the bakery.

"Hello Akiho. Are you out shopping?" the baker smiled kindly.

She returned his smile, "Yes-I've been running a few errands for Yuna."

"Ah. How is everything going with the Inn?"

"It's been busier than usual-I suspect it's because of recent events with the Queen and King." Akiho confessed.

"We have been getting quite a lot of people coming through as they run from Darkness. It makes me wonder how much longer we'll be able to stay here..." the baker murmured, looking over at the black cloud that threatened to swallow the sky.

"I believe in our King and Queen." Akiho spoke firmly. "They will save our realm."

The baker just smiled and shrugged, making it obvious that he didn't feel the same way and that angered Akiho.

"The royal family has protected us for Millenia. They won't stop now." She hissed, then turned and stormed off, her blue eyes blazing with fury.

She stopped, though, when she spotted a familiar group coming up the path that led to the ruins.

"How...?" she whispered. Akiho was certain that they had taken the ferry to Lycoris, so it was impossible for them to be back so soon... right?

Tomoyo spotted Akiho and waved, smiling at her as she did so. Akiho returned her wave, then noticed that Syaoran was carrying Sakura which made her wonder if something had happened to the Queen.

The group approached Akiho, who smiled. "I'm a bit shocked that you're back so soon..." she confessed.

"That's the Oracle's handiwork." Tomoyo replied, "He dropped us right outside the ruins."

Akiho's eyes widened in surprise.

"I'm sorry to have to ask this, but would it be okay if we stayed the night at your inn?" Syaoran asked.

Akiho looked over at Syaoran, noticing Sakura was fast asleep in his arms. "Oh-of course. Let's head back right away." She said.

Syaoran carefully adjusted Sakura in his arms, taking care not to wake her. While Akiho was curious to know what had happened with the Oracle, asking about it in the middle of the street was not appropriate.

They all headed back to the inn together, and as soon as they walked through the door, they were greeted with surprised looks from the people in the inn as well as from Yuna and Momo.

"Akiho, take our guests straight through to the back." Yuna said.

Akiho nodded, "Here are the things you asked me to get from town." She added, placing the basket on the bench.

He smiled, "Thank you. I'll leave our guests to you."

She nodded and led the group through to the back, where they were seated in the lounge. Syaoran gently placed Sakura on one of the couches to rest and took off his cloak to lay over her and keep her warm, her head resting in his lap.

She didn't stir at all from her sleep, but that didn't surprise Syaoran who knew well that she could sleep through anything. Akiho, however, was amazed not only by the queen's ability to sleep through all the moving around, but because things seemed to be so much different between the pair that it was baffling.

"Would you care for something warm to drink?" she asked politely. "I can also prepare lunch."

"That would be wonderful, thank you." Tomoyo replied with a smile.

"Is there anything you need in the meantime? Is her majesty okay...?" Akiho asked anxiously.

"She's fine-just exhausted." Kero replied.

Akiho nodded as she watched Syaoran gently brush some hair out of Sakura's eyes. Then, she turned and headed for the kitchen to start preparing hot tea and lunch.

"Is everything okay, Akiho?" Momo asked as she floated over to her.

"I'm honestly not sure. Her majesty is sleeping... It feels like there's a sense of urgency, though." Akiho replied.

Momo gently placed one of her tiny hands on Akiho's head in a comforting gesture and smiled. "I'm sure they will talk to you if it is."

"But I'm just a bar maid." Akiho mumbled.

Momo sighed, "Stop having such little faith in yourself. Is there anything you need help with?"

"I thought I would make sandwiches for everyone-would you mind helping?" she answered shyly.

"Of course, I will." Momo smiled, "Just don't tell you-know-who."

Akiho laughed, pleasing Momo, and then the two of them set themselves to making tea and lunch for everyone.

With everything ready, Akiho carried out the trays of sandwiches and placed them on the coffee table.

"I hope you don't mind, but I made sandwiches for everyone's lunch." Akiho said.

"Thank you, Akiho." Tomoyo smiled.

"I'll just go get the tea," she added as she turned, and headed back to the kitchen to retrieve the beverages.

When she returned, she sat down with the group to eat. As she nibbled her sandwich, Akiho couldn't help but wonder what she should say. She was distracted, though, when Syaoran murmured Sakura's name. He gently shook her shoulder to try and wake her.

"Sakura, wake up-we're at the inn now." He spoke gently.

Sakura's eyes slowly opened, and she blinked away her sleep as she sat up. "How long have I been asleep for? Did I...?"

"You passed out just after we left the ruins. Akiho was sweet enough to make us lunch." Tomoyo replied.

Sakura's eyes landed on the plate in the middle of the table and then she looked over at Akiho, giving her a kind smile.

"Thank you for your hospitality. Your name is Akiho, correct? I apologise, but my memory is a bit muddled at the moment." Sakura spoke kindly.

Akiho smiled and shook her head, "If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know."

"Of course."

"You should eat something, love." Syaoran murmured.

A small blush dusted Sakura's cheeks hearing the words of endearment from Syaoran, and she reached over to take one of the sandwiches from the plate.

"How have things been here since we left?" Tomoyo asked Akiho, catching her by surprise.

Once she had regained herself, Akiho lowered her eyes.

"More and more people have been fleeing their homes to get as far from the darkness as they can. It's... alarming." Akiho explained.

"I suspected as much." Syaoran murmured with a furrowed brow.

"Sorry... I don't understand." Akiho said awkwardly.

He looked over at her, "While I had been staying here, I noticed a lot of people headed through here, but they were never heading towards the Darkness, always away."

"It's all the more reason to stop the Darkness from spreading further." Sakura spoke. "Akiho, are you prepared to do whatever it takes to help save our realm?"

Akiho sat in shock, her mind still processing everything that Sakura had just said. Her? Help?

"B... but, what can I possibly...?"

Tomoyo looked to Syaoran and Sakura who nodded, giving her their approval to explain.

"His majesty explained to you before we left that you are one of the chosen, remember?" she began.

Akiho nodded.

"You can purify darkness and you have the same dreams we do about the danger threatening our realm." Tomoyo continued, "Our songs are significantly more powerful than the average person-we enchant and inspire people, giving them the strength and will to fight. And, we halt the powers of darkness from spreading any further. Our job is to support our Queen, who..."

Tomoyo trailed off and her eyes saddened. Akiho looked at everyone around the room, noticing that the mood had suddenly gotten heavy.

Sakura smiled sadly. "The royal bloodline have a very unique power that's only present in the females. It's an extremely powerful spell that when used, can eradicate the darkness from the entire realm."

Akiho's eyes widened, "Then why-?"

Sakura held up her hand for her to stop. "I can only use it under very specific circumstances. I need all four of the chosen to help me perform the ritual."

Akiho still didn't understand. What was so bad about that? If that was all they needed, then why were they so late in finding her? She glanced over at Syaoran, noticing he seemed deeply troubled by something.

"If you have any questions, please don't be afraid to ask." Sakura added softly.

"Why...didn't you try to look for me sooner?" Akiho decided to ask first.

"I've been looking for the final chosen person for a long time, but this is a big realm." Syaoran murmured, "Not to mention, the Darkness spread so fast in just a short amount of time. It suddenly stopped about a year ago, though."

"Why?"

"We don't know. We suspect it's because the denizens and warriors could sense that I was still a threat, so they hatched a plan to try and kill me." Sakura replied, "the reason my memory is so hazy right now, is because for many months I was almost taken over by Darkness. Syaoran wasn't in the capital at the time, so I was more vulnerable since he's the only one who could save my life."

Akiho was just getting more and more confused. "Why, if I may ask?"

"There's a certain level of intimacy needed between the two. As I said, I'm not like the ordinary person-my body is more or less a vessel for light... so for darkness to be able to take over my body-it's an incredibly difficult task to get rid of it."

"I see..." Akiho murmured. "Wait, if you knew I was the final person, then why were you here for so long?" She suddenly asked Syaoran.

Syaoran stood, "I'm sorry-I need some fresh air. Do you have a back door I can use?"

"Oh-just go down the hall and it's at the end." Akiho replied.

Syaoran left the room. Akiho suddenly felt like she'd said something horrible.

"It's not your fault." Sakura smiled a bit sadly. "I'll go and talk to him."

The queen stood and followed after Syaoran, leaving Akiho with Tomoyo, Kero and Yue. Tomoyo sighed softly.

"The reason Syaoran has been here all this time is because he's been desperately trying to find a way to save Sakura's life... you see, the ritual she was talking about-she becomes the light that overcomes the Darkness." She explained sadly. "In order to save our world, Sakura must die."

...

Syaoran stepped out onto the porch and glanced up at the dull sky. His mind was in chaos, but the one thing that stood out in the mess was Sakura. Her smile, her scent, her hair...

He couldn't bear losing her forever.

"Syaoran?" Sakura's soft voice sounded beside him.

He looked over to see her worried emerald green eyes looking up at him.

"I'm sorry." He apologised.

"I think it's time we talked." Sakura said gently.

Syaoran nodded. It was probably overdue, but it needed to be done. Silence hung in the air as they both tried to figure out what to say first. Finally, he managed to speak.

"I can't bear the fact that I'll lose you." He whispered in anguish.

"You've always known it was a-"

"Don't say that! Knowing...doesn't make it any better. It makes it worse, because despite all my searching for an answer, I'm still going to lose you. And the way you seem to have just accepted it and given up-it makes me so angry."

Sakura's eyes began to water. "I don't want to die." She whispered, "Believe me-I want to watch Hazuki grow up with you. I want to be able to live my life with you! I haven't accepted it-I've just been running away from it."

Her tears slipped down her cheeks and she lifted her hand to wipe them away.

"I hate that I'm the only one who can do this. I hate that this is the only way."

Syaoran didn't realise that was how she had been feeling. He realised that she must have been desperate to hear of any possible ways that could save her life, and how disheartened she must have felt to learn that despite all of his efforts to search for a way, there was none.

"I'm sorry." He apologised.

"I'm sorry too." She whispered.

"I shouldn't have left your side." Syaoran said, "You must have been so scared on your own."

"It was hard," she admitted, "I was lonely."

Syaoran pulled her into a tight hug which she readily returned, and they stayed like that for a long moment. Syaoran desperately tried to hold back the tears he could feel burning his eyes, as he was starting to realise the full reality of their situation and that there was no other way to save their realm. He was realising that, not long from now, he would have to live on without Sakura and raise their daughter alone.

It was that last thought that made him break.

He sobbed into her hair, his body trembling against hers. Sakura felt more tears slip down her face as they held each other, which was all they could do. They couldn't say anything-nothing could be said. Words of consolation would do nothing.

Instead, Sakura whispered, "I love you."

...

It was quite a while before the royal couple returned to the lounge to sit with the others, but when they did they were welcomed warmly. No one asked questions about if they were okay-they didn't need to. It was easy to recognise that they weren't, and it was taking everything they had to hold themselves together. After all, everyone in the room felt the same.

Sakura was the first to speak, dispelling the dark mood.

"We must organise everything for the ceremony tomorrow." She spoke.

Akiho looked confused, "Ceremony?"

Sakura nodded. "Our pact with the dragons has weakened over the hundreds of years, and thus it needs to be renewed. Tomorrow there will be a Firevows ceremony held at the ruins with the dragon who dwells there."

Akiho's eyes widened. "D-do we need to get the whole village together? What needs to be done?"

"Where is the nearest body of cold water?" Sakura asked, "I have to perform a purification rite."

"Ah... There's a spring near the ruins. It's always been forbidden to go there though." Akiho explained.

"That will be where the first purification ritual was performed thousands of years ago." Syaoran explained, "I believe it's considered sacred ground, no?"

"You're right, it is." Akiho answered.

"Would you mind showing me the way?" Sakura asked. "Don't worry, you won't get into trouble."

"I don't mind," Akiho smiled, "I'm just not entirely certain of the route... We might have to ask the village elder."

Sakura nodded, "We must go now, then. I'm sorry, but this is an urgent matter."

"I understand." Akiho said as she stood, "Please follow me, then."

Sakura looked up at Syaoran and gave him a smile, "I'll be back soon."

He nodded and then looked over at Yue and Kero. "Take care of her."

"We will." Yue replied.

"Stay safe." Tomoyo added with a smile.

"You as well." Sakura replied before turning and leaving with Akiho. Yue and Kero followed behind her, and Syaoran watched as they disappeared out of sight.

Tomoyo looked over at Syaoran with concern and some confusion. "Syaoran, don't we need Eriol for this? He is one of the Chosen..."

Syaoran shook his head. "It just needs to be me and Sakura. That will be enough..." at least, he hoped it would. "Besides, we don't have the time to call him here."

Tomoyo nodded her understanding. They were doing all that was humanly possible-she just hoped that their efforts will not have been in vain.

Sakura was well aware of the attention on her as she passed through the streets with Akiho, Yue and Kero, but she paid no attention to it. She was used to having all eyes on her, after all. However, she could tell that Akiho was beginning to feel self-conscious.

"How far is the elders house?" She asked.

"Oh-about five minutes." Akiho replied.

"Thank you for showing me the way." Sakura smiled, "And I'm sorry for suddenly dragging you into this."

"It's alright." Akiho replied, "Actually, I'm sort of happy in a way... I've always admired you and wanted to help you somehow." She smiled sheepishly.

Sakura's eyes widened with surprise, then she returned Akiho's smile. "Thank you."

"Um..." Akiho started, but hesitated as she was unsure if it was okay for her to ask the question that was on her mind.

"What is it?" Sakura asked with a smile.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but... Is everything okay between you and your husband?" Akiho asked hesitantly.

Sakura's smile softened. "Syaoran and I... we're inseparable." She spoke, "In terms of our relationship right now, we're fine. But...there are certain things that are making it really difficult for us right now."

"Is it a fight...?" Akiho asked nervously.

Sakura shook her head and her face saddened. "No... Tomoyo told you about what would happen to me, didn't she?"

Akiho nodded, her eyes tearing up at the thought of their queen sacrificing herself.

Sakura sighed softly. "The two of us both know that this is the only way. We understand it, but it's because we understand that it makes it so much harder for the two of us."

"I'm so sorry." Akiho said quietly.

"Don't apologise. It's not your fault."

"I know, but... still, I'm sorry."

Sakura just smiled. "You're sweet."

Akiho blushed. "O-oh, thank you."

They soon approached a house that was a little bigger than the other houses in the small town. Akiho opened the front garden gate and held it open for Sakura and her two guardians, then led them up the path to the door. She lifted her hand and knocked on the wooden door.

A moment later, a man who looked to be in his late fifties opened the door and smiled kindly.

"Ah, Akiho-how are you?" He asked.

Akiho returned his smile, "I'm well, sir."

The elder lifted his eyes to land on Sakura, "Your majesty-it is an honour to meet you."

Sakura smiled politely, "Thank you, Elder. Please forgive me, however, as I'm here on urgent business."

"How may I help you?" he asked.

"I need to know the way to the forbidden spring." Sakura replied.

His eyes widened. "Why do you need to know? I can't just tell you without good reason."

"I'll be performing a purification rite. Tomorrow morning, I will be performing a Firevows ceremony at the ruins."

The elders jaw dropped from shock. Nothing was said for a few long moments, until Sakura raised her brow.

"Elder?"

"Oh! Yes, yes... Sorry your Majesty... erm, how will you be performing this ceremony? Dragon's don't ex-"

"They do. One, to be exact." Sakura answered calmly.

Again, the man looked her with a dumbfounded expression.

"Er..."

"Naturally, of course, you may attend the Firevows ceremony as you are the village Elder." Sakura added.

"That would be an honour, your grace." The elder answered after a few moments. "The Spring is in a clearing in the forest by the ruins. Unfortunately, I've never been there, so I can't give you the precise location."

Sakura smiled kindly, "Thank you for your help. The ceremony will begin at dawn, so please be prepared."

"Thank you, your grace. May the light guide your path."

Sakura gave him a nod, then turned with Akiho and made their way down the path.

"Are you sure you don't want your husband with you in the forest? He can protect you from denizens, can't he?" Akiho asked as they headed towards the specified forest.

Sakura smiled. "Yes. But so can Yue and Kero."

"Ah... Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude."

"It's quite alright. If you don't mind, can you head back to the inn and let Syaoran know where I am? He might want to come and find me himself." Sakura requested.

Akiho nodded, "Of course. I'll head back right away."

"Thank you. Take care." Sakura smiled, then parted ways with Akiho to head into the forest.

"You know," Kero murmured, "It might be better if Syaoran was nearby to ward off denizens. I'm worried Yue and I may not be enough."

Sakura smiled, "I have faith in the two of you. You haven't failed me."

"But last time you got hurt and poisoned..." Kero said.

"Don't blame yourself," Sakura replied, "But if you feel that bad, then make sure it doesn't happen again."

Kero and Yue both nodded. They would not let their Queen be hurt again-and that was a promise.

* * *

**I do have the next chapter written, I just need to revise and edit it. It should be up within the next week/two weeks**

**Let me know what you think of the story so far :)**


	10. We Are One

Dressed in the white dress Tomoyo had fashioned for her, Sakura stood at the ceremony altar; there were two pillars either side with a bowl of flames sitting on top, burning brightly. What little sunlight lighting the sky meant that it was dawn, but with no thanks to the darkness, it was not as beautiful as it should be.

_'We'll fix that.'_ Sakura thought to herself with renewed determination.

Standing below were the village elder and nearly the entire village, all of whom had somehow found out about the ceremony and were eager to witness it. After all, no one had ever seen a dragon in hundreds of years, so it was a legendary opportunity for them-as was it a legendary opportunity to witness the Firevows ceremony.

Akiho, Tomoyo, Yue and Kero all stood in the front row, and were joined by Yuna and Momo. Syaoran made his way up the stairway and to the altar, stopping when he reached Sakura's side.

"Are you ready?" he asked low enough so that only she could hear.

Sakura took in a shaky breath and released it. "As ready as I'll ever be."

He entwined his fingers with hers and gave her hand a gentle reassuring squeeze. Then, Sakura lifted her hand to the stone doors and allowed her magic to flow through her fingertips, opening the doors. With a low rumble, they began to slide open slowly, revealing black emptiness. Sakura took in another deep breath and released it slowly. Then, she spoke.

"May the great wyrm of the land of light come forth!"

Somewhere in the silence, slow, heavy footsteps sounded. There was a low growl as the figure of the huge beast began to appear, and behind them the people of the village murmured, struck with awe. The dragon came to a stop in front of the two royals, who both knelt before the beast.

A low rumble left the dragon's throat as it parted its leathery lips to reveal a glimpse of its huge dagger-like teeth.

"Rise." It spoke.

Sakura and Syaoran both rose to their feet. Taking in a deep breath, they both spoke:

"O great master of light,

We beseech thee!

We offer thee thy blood,

Thy bodies as vessels,

And thy pledge to protect this holy realm for all eternity.

We ask for thy blessing to purge these lands of the darkness that threatens our people!"

The great dragon looked upon the king and queen, examining the pair. The beast could tell that they both had immense faith in each other, as well as a strong love for their world. It was able to sense the sadness in their hearts knowing that they would soon have to inevitably part because of their duty to their realm, and yet they still stood before them, begging for their blessing.

The dragon opened its mouth and blew white flames into the large basin of the altar. Neither Sakura nor Syaoran flinched.

"Queen of Light, you are already aware of the consequences, but even so, I can sense your determination and resolve." The dragon spoke, "Step into the flames."

Syaoran glanced over at Sakura who gave him a soft smile before turning her attention to the glowing white flames. Adrenaline pumped through her as she walked forwards, stepping into the basin and allowing the white flames to engulf her body. The flames did not burn her, but instead she was surrounded by a comforting warmth that flickered around her.

"I bestow upon the descendants of the protectors, and the humans, the renewed blessing of light, so that they may purge this realm of evil, and protect those she holds dear." The dragon spoke. "May this woman who is pure of heart and loved by all become the vessel for the magic, and the Chosen One hold the key."

Sakura could feel the flames of light flowing into her, restoring her weakened powers and giving her strength once more. Her body glowed with radiant light as she turned to face her people. Syaoran shielded his eyes from the blinding light, while everyone else kneeled before their king and queen.

As the light around her faded, she began to sing:

_'Hush_

_Do not say a word_

_Might be we are trapped_

_'Cause they want us to stay._

_Wait for nights to come_

_Wait for shining stars above_

_To light our way into better days!_

_Now, that we feel as one_

_They won't keep us down_

_We were born to fly_

_Once that we are gone_

_They will speak of us_

_As those who always tried!'_

Syaoran and Tomoyo joined her in singing the song, and Akiho found herself joining in as the lyrics flowed through her mind. Syaoran had not sung a song in a long time, but he could feel himself being filled with hope once again.

_'Once we have been told a secret,_

_Too risky to know,_

_Three years we tried to keep silent, _

_For to save our homes._

_Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten_

_GO!_

_All that we have feared so much is gone!_

_One for all and all for one,_

_Side by side we're brave and strong._

_All the doubts that teased us once_

_Are gone!_

_Hundreds, thousands, more to come!_

_Fight to let our Kingdom come!_

_No! We will never stop!_

_We will never fail_

_We're the ones to proceed._

_Step by step we march,_

_Day by day we're waking up,_

_With braver hearts_

_We are fighting hard!'_

As they finished singing, cheers and shouts erupted from below, celebrating the blessing and feeling renewed hope. But, Sakura and Syaoran were distracted as they heard the dragon's voice in their heads.

_'To restore the realm's power completely, you must banish Darkness soon, or this blessing serves no purpose.'_

Sakura and Syaoran both looked at each other, both understanding the meaning of the message. The sudden boost in their power was temporary. What limited time they had, had just been further limited.

The dragon turned and headed back inside the cave, having done its job, and Sakura smiled. "We thank you for your kindness," she said as the doors began to slide closed behind the beast, closing it off from humanity once more.

Sakura couldn't help but feel a little sad knowing that this dragon was the last of its kind, and it was shutting itself off from the world. She wondered what had caused it to be like that but remembered its words from the day before about the difference between dragons and humans.

Once again, Syaoran took Sakura's hand in his.

"We should depart as soon as possible," he murmured worriedly.

Sakura nodded agreement. "You're right. As much as I'd like Akiho to be able to say goodbye to her family, we just don't have the time... This is all my fault."

Syaoran shook his head. "There's no one person to blame in this situation, and we shouldn't be wasting time thinking about what ifs. What's done is done... now, we must carry out our duties."

There was a sadness in his voice that couldn't be missed, tugging at Sakura's heart as she was once again reminded of her cruel fate. Continuing to hold hands, they turned and headed down the stone stairs to meet with Akiho and the others.

"That was amazing," Tomoyo said, "I can already feel the difference in my power."

Akiho nodded agreement.

"Well, unfortunately we have a shorter time limit than before. If we don't rid our lands of Darkness soon, our powers will diminish again, and we'll be back at square one." Syaoran replied.

Akiho and Tomoyo both glanced at each other for a moment, then back to Syaoran and Sakura.

"When do we leave?" Akiho asked, feeling more determined than ever.

"We should gather our things back at the inn and leave as soon as we can. I'm sorry, but there is no time." Sakura replied apologetically.

"We understand," Yuna spoke, "Please allow us to give you food and drink for your journey."

"We will help, too." A couple of merchants said as they approached, "Anything that will help you."

Sakura was a little taken aback by their generosity, but then she smiled gratefully.

"We welcome your aid. Thank you all."

...

The merchants had all been generous and provided the group with enough food to last the trip back to the capital, along with horses to allow for a speedier trip, and warmer blankets. They were able to set out before the sun set, and they arrived at the harbour that would allow them to return to the mainland close to midnight on horseback.

Since the ferry was not running until morning, they had to wait, so the group made their way to the nearby inn. Unsurprisingly, there were still a lot of people drinking at tables.

"We'd like a room for six, please." Syaoran spoke to the innkeeper, who nodded and handed them a key.

"Your room is upstairs to the left." The man replied.

Syaoran took the key and they headed straight up to their room. Akiho looked completely exhausted, unused to travelling so far and for such extended lengths of time.

"Are you alright?" Sakura asked her.

Akiho smiled, "I'll be fine with some sleep. Please don't worry."

Sakura returned Akiho's smile and walked over to one of the six beds to crawl beneath the blankets, eager for some sleep herself, as everyone did the same. But Darkness haunted their dreams. Pitch black clouds surrounded the capital city, looming over it like hungry wolves circling their prey. Powerful denizens waited eagerly, their mouths salivating at the thought of devouring the innocent lives in the city. People cowered behind their walls praying for safety and help from a miracle.

And in the dreams of Sakura and Syaoran, Hazuki's cries could be heard.

Sakura woke with a fright, her blood pounding in her ears. She quickly threw back the blankets and ran out of the room, down the stairs and then out the door, ignoring Kero calling her name. Syaoran followed after Sakura having woken just seconds after her, running outside to find Sakura looking up at the clouds which had darkened considerably overnight.

"Sakura," he murmured her name as he came to stand beside her.

"Hazuki was crying," she whispered, "And I wasn't-I'm not-there to comfort her like I should be."

Understanding her pain, he took her hand in his and offered a comforting squeeze.

"I heard her too." He confessed, "In my dream."

"If that dream is what I think it is, then..." Sakura trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

"Let's head back inside-we'll eat something and then gather our things to get on the ferry." Syaoran murmured in an attempt to soothe her anxiety, as well as his own.

Sakura just nodded and allowed him to guide her back inside; upstairs, everyone was waiting anxiously for them.

"What happened?" Kero demanded. "Why is it still so dark?"

"It's the Darkness," Syaoran answered, "It's covering more of the sky as it spreads."

"Akiho, Tomoyo, did you have a dream as well?" Sakura asked.

Akiho and Tomoyo both nodded. "The capital was surrounded,"

Sakura nodded. "It's as I feared, then."

"We have no time," Syaoran said as he moved to gather his things, "We must leave as soon as possible."

Agreeing, everyone else began to do the same. They made their way downstairs and over to the bar where the innkeeper was sitting reading the newspaper. He looked up, though, when they approached.

"How may I help you?" he asked kindly.

"Can you tell us what time the ferry leaves?" Syaoran asked.

The man looked at his old grandfather clock to see it was nearly eight o'clock.

"It leaves at eight thirty... are you in a rush?"

"Yes." Syaoran replied, "Thank you."

"It was a pleasure doing business with you." The man replied as he returned to reading his newspaper.

Sakura gave him a grateful smile before turning and following the others out the door, not bothering to sit down and have breakfast. They had food they could eat on the road, and since time was of the essence, they couldn't afford to sit down.

They retrieved their horses from the stables out back, then made their way to the docks, weaving through the crowds of people. In their passing, Syaoran noticed a lot of people all looking up at the sky anxiously. He glanced over at Sakura whose face showed no sign that she had noticed. Looking back to the front, he continued walking.

The group arrived just in time to get tickets before the sales closed for the morning trip. A young apprentice arrived to take their horses onto the boat, leaving them to wait with the other passengers.

"How long does it take to get across to the mainland?" Akiho asked Tomoyo as they waited.

"Hmm... Usually about two hours." Tomoyo replied, "It's not terribly far away, thankfully."

"I see... this will be my first time going there." Akiho confessed.

"After we've done our duty, I'm happy to show you around the capital." Tomoyo offered kindly.

Akiho's face brightened, "Really? I would love that!"

"It's a promise then," Tomoyo smiled.

Sakura turned to Kero and Yue, her dream still haunting her. She needed to know if Hazuki was safe and if she was okay.

"When we get back to the mainland, I want Kero to head back to the palace ahead of us." She said.

Kero and Yue both frowned. "Don't you think that's dangerous? What if something happens to you?"

"I will be fine with everyone with me. Besides, the power of the blessing has given my magic quite a boost... It's been a while since I've felt like this." Sakura answered.

"Are you two worried about the princess?" Yue asked.

Sakura and Syaoran glanced at each other briefly before looking back at the two guardians.

"In the dream we had, Hazuki was crying out. We need to know that she's okay." Syaoran explained, "But that's not the only reason we need you to go ahead."

"You want me to let them know you're coming so they can prepare." Kero stated.

They nodded.

Kero smiled smugly, "You can leave it to me."

Sakura smiled, "Thanks, Kero."

Tomoyo and Akiho both approached, "It's time to board the boat."

Sakura nodded, "Alright, thank you."

Syaoran unconsciously took Sakura's hand in his as they walked, reminding Sakura of all the small things he did to show he cared. She squeezed his hand gently, then they made their way onto the boat and found a place to sit. Sakura sat next to Syaoran while Akiho and Tomoyo sat opposite them.

"This brings back memories..." Tomoyo sighed.

"What do you mean?" Akiho asked.

Sakura smiled, "When we were younger, and before my brother became King, we used to do a lot of travelling."

Tomoyo added, "It was part of our duties as the Chosen. We would travel from town to town and city to city, singing songs for the people and giving them hope."

Akiho's eyes widened in awe. Syaoran smiled a little at the memories from happier times; back then it had been so peaceful, and the world was full of life and hope. Denizens were rarely around, but when they were is was typically only one at a time and they were few and far between. He couldn't remember when the signs started to appear-the signs that Darkness was starting to spread its poison in the realm. Signs that were ignored because they were assumed to be unrelated or not a threat but proved to be the beginning of their downfall.

Sakura's stomach growled, distracting Syaoran from his thoughts and reminding him that none of them had eaten.

"Oh yeah-we should probably eat something." Tomoyo mused.

"Probably? I think you mean definitely." Kero snorted.

Sakura's face turned red and she buried her face in her hands, while Syaoran rummaged through one of their bags and pulled out some fruit, distributing it between them. He pulled Sakura's hand away from her face and instead placed an apple in her palm before taking a bite of his own.

With a sigh, Sakura lifted the fruit to her mouth and bit into it. It was crisp and sweet, exactly the way she liked her apples, and it didn't take long for her to finish it off.

When she glanced up, Syaoran was holding another one out for her. He didn't need to say anything to get her to take the extra apple. His intense amber eyes burned into hers making her unable to say no. It had always been like that ever since they were kids-he was always able to make her cave when it was for her own good.

"Er, Syaoran, about your songs..." Tomoyo trailed off.

Sakura looked over at Syaoran, who sighed softly. "The song at the ceremony was a onetime thing... I don't think I could..."

He trailed off when Sakura placed her hands over his. He met her gaze to find that she was smiling warmly.

"I believe in you."

Syaoran let her entwine her fingers with his. "I'm not sure," he confessed, "I can't seem to summon them at the moment."

"But you will," Sakura assured him, "I know it. Perhaps not right this second, but you will."

"Well, Sakura seems certain, so we will trust in you as well." Tomoyo smiled.

"I'm sorry." He apologised. "I'm aware of how serious this is, and of how much worry it's causing you."

"For now, you can still play your instruments, so until you can find your voice again, we'll be alright." Sakura replied, "After all... everything will surely be alright."

Akiho's eyes widened when she heard those words, remembering what Yuna had told her a little while ago about the Queen's unbeatable spell. Tomoyo smiled as did Kero and Yue.

The rest of the boat ride was fairly peaceful with no interruptions. The group spent most of their time discussing plans on what needed to be done and what the fastest route back to the capital would be, and as soon as they docked at the mainland, Kero went on his way to return to the castle and prepare them for what was to come.

Syaoran and Tomoyo met back up with Sakura, Akiho and Yue along with their horses.

"That was quick," Akiho commented.

"It's amazing how fast people will do things for you when you're the King." Syaoran murmured as he mounted his horse.

The girls proceeded to do the same, then they made their way for the road towards the town of Elestine.

...

The group stopped once Sakura began to feel tired. While everyone set up camp, Akiho started on making dinner for the five of them. Sakura sat down in front of the fire after having set her bed up, watching as Akiho stirred the vegetable stew she was making.

"Thank you for cooking," she said, "I appreciate it."

Akiho smiled, "It's my pleasure."

"How did you meet Mr Kaito, if you don't mind me asking?"

Akiho sat back while she waited for the stew to cook. "He took me in when I was a little girl. Momo and I had just fled my home at the time, and he found me lost in the forest."

"What happened to your parents?" Sakura asked softly.

Akiho smiled sadly. "They died... It was a bit of a freak accident; they were protecting me from a shadow warrior, and my old family all blamed me for their deaths. They wanted me dead... so Momo brought me here."

"I'm so sorry for your loss." Sakura said sincerely.

"Thank you- you're very kind." Akiho replied with a smile, "I miss my parents, but I've learned to make peace with what happened."

Sakura returned her smile, "I'm happy for you. You seem to really enjoy your work at the inn, as well."

She nodded, "I do."

Tomoyo made her way over and joined them with a smile on her face. "Dinner smells wonderful."

"It's almost ready-it just needs to cook a little more." Akiho smiled kindly.

Sakura glanced up as Syaoran sat down beside her, giving him a smile which he returned.

"Tomorrow is going to be a long day," Tomoyo sighed, "I hope everyone back at the capital are okay..."

"I'm sure they're fine." Sakura replied with a small smile, "The barrier around the city will keep the darkness at bay for a while."

Everyone knew that Sakura was trying her best to convince herself as well, but they said nothing.

"Ah-dinner is ready." Akiho smiled and grabbed the wooden bowls for them to eat out of and began to dish up their meal.

Syaoran handed out some bread and cheese to have with the stew; the way they were gathered and sharing a meal together reminded Sakura of the days before she'd had Hazuki and ascended the throne.

"Do you guys remember the time I tried to cook back when we were travelling around one of the other continents?" Sakura asked.

Syaoran and Tomoyo both grimaced. "It's hard to forget."

Sakura laughed, "Yeah... That was a disaster."

"But we managed to make it work." Tomoyo pointed out.

"You can't cook?" Akiho asked, amused.

Sakura smiled and shook her head. "It was the one thing I could never pick up for some reason. Syaoran tried teaching me for a while, but..."

"I'm guessing it didn't go too well?" Akiho asked.

"Sakura is fine when it comes to preparing vegetables, so it wasn't a completely useless endeavour." Syaoran laughed.

"I still feel so bad that I could never pick it up." Sakura confessed, "I feel like I just wasted your time."

"You didn't. Besides, it was fun." Syaoran shrugged.

She smiled as she looked at her now empty bowl. "I miss those days sometimes,"

"It was nice back then," Tomoyo agreed.

Akiho looked as though she wanted to ask something but was unsure if she should. Sakura, however, noticed.

"What is it you want to ask?" she asked kindly.

Akiho fidgeted a little, "It's just... I was wondering if you and his highness were engaged since you were young."

Syaoran and Sakura looked at each other as a thousand memories passed between them, both of them smiling.

"No, we weren't an arranged marriage, if that's what you're referring to." Syaoran replied, "My family has always been close with the royal family, so we grew up together."

Sakura giggled, "You used to fight with my brother a lot."

Syaoran grimaced. "Yeah..."

"Back where I came from, the royal family married their partners for political gain." Akiho confessed, "Some of them would fall in love with each other-like my parents-but not always."

"Because my family are this worlds' protectors, we aren't held to the same expectations. This realm is much better off if it's keepers are happy, after all." Sakura smiled, "There are no rules about who we have to marry."

"But even so, you and Syaoran would still have been allowed to get married." Tomoyo pointed out, "After all, he has a pretty high status, being the leader of the Chosen."

Sakura laughed, "That is true, but even so, I still think I would have been happy with him regardless of how we met."

"You two are just so precious." Tomoyo sighed happily.

"Tomoyo..." Sakura mumbled, blushing a little.

"If everyone's finished eating, I'll clean up." Syaoran switched topic, eager to drop the subject and save himself some embarrassment.

Tomoyo nodded, "We should try and get some sleep while we can." She said as she handed him her bowl.

Syaoran cleaned everything quickly and with practiced ease, once again amazing Akiho, and then they all got ready to sleep around the fire. Sakura and Syaoran lay next to each other, their hands entwined together as they slept, never letting go of each other.

* * *

**Hi everyone! Thank you for reading as always. What did you think of this chapter? do you think the story is moving too fast? Let me know :)**

**What's going on with Hazuki, hmm?**

**The song featured in this chapter is called One to Ten, by Van Canto. ...I keep forgetting to mention the names of the songs and the artist, sorry about that. **


	11. The Betrayal

The group arrived at the small town of Elestine after three days of travel, all eager to get to the closest inn for a good night's rest so that they could stock up on anything they needed early in the morning and then head off.

Sakura was already fighting to stay awake as they headed to the Glowing Iris, a pub as well as an inn. Inside, there were sounds of laughter and the clinking of beer mugs, along with the sound of rolling dice and chairs scraping across the wooden floor.

As Sakura got the keys, Syaoran turned to her. "You four head on up-I want to gather some information about the state of the area."

Sakura looked unsure, but she nodded her head tiredly. "Don't take too long."

He watched as they headed up the flight of stairs and sighed softly before turning back to the bartender who smiled knowingly.

"The missus looks exhausted."

"Yeah. Three days of travelling will do that." Syaoran replied.

"It sure will. What can I get you?"

"Just a glass will do."

The bartender nodded and poured Syaoran a drink, sliding it across the bench to him. Syaoran picked it up and brought it to his mouth, taking a mouthful of the alcohol and swallowing.

"News has been travelling," the bartender spoke, "Everyone's been saying our King and Queen performed some ceremony that could help save our realm."

"I'm surprised it's travelled this far." Syaoran confessed. "But it's true."

"Everyone's been leaving their towns lately, trying to get as far away from the darkness as they can." The man added, "But lately, this town has been threatened by a few denizens. They come in the night and snatch people from their homes."

"Then why is everyone still here?" Syaoran frowned, "Arent they scared?"

"Oh, they're terrified, but they also don't want to risk going out on the road where they could just as easily be killed."

Syaoran sighed softly, "I see..." _'I'll need to talk with the others tomorrow.'_

"This war has gone on long enough." He added tiredly.

"Hm? Sorry, didn't hear you." The barman said.

Syaoran shook his head. "It's nothing. What other information can you give me about these events?"

"They favour women and children," the man replied, "I'm afraid there isn't much more information I can offer you."

"Thank you," Syaoran replied as he finished off his drink and stood.

"You heading up?" the barman asked.

Syaoran nodded, "Yes. Thanks for the drink."

Leaving the bar, Syaoran headed straight for the stairway to head to the room they were all staying in. He opened the door quietly, finding Yue resting near Sakura, who was still awake. Tomoyo and Akiho were already sound asleep, so he quietly passed them and joined Sakura who shifted over a little to make room for him.

She wormed her fingers beneath his shirt to feel the warmth of his skin and welcomed his comforting arms.

"There are powerful denizens nearby." She whispered quietly.

"They're probably the denizens the barman was talking about." Syaoran replied.

She looked at him enquiringly, so he continued.

"They've been taking people during the nights-the barman says they favour women and children." He explained softly.

But before Sakura could respond, a terrified scream from outside startled everyone in the room awake.

"What was that?!" Tomoyo exclaimed.

Syaoran jumped to his feet and opened the window, poking his head outside to see where the scream came from. He couldn't see the person, but he could sense an extremely powerful denizen was close.

"Sakura-wait!" Akiho shouted.

Syaoran span around just in time to see Sakura running out of the room with Yue hot on her heels.

He swore as he followed after them, Tomoyo and Akiho close behind. They burst out onto the street, hearing the sound of a wailing, terrified child in the direction Syaoran had heard the other scream from. He spotted Sakura who was already sprinting in the direction the screams were coming from and he chased after her.

"Sakura-wait!" he shouted after her, but she didn't stop.

They rounded a corner onto a new street. Up ahead, a gnarly black monster with glowing red eyes had its teeth in a child's leg, dragging him from his home while his mother screamed in despair.

"Oh my god!" Akiho cried.

"Yue!" Sakura commanded her guardian, and understanding her unspoken order, with his bow and arrow, he shot at the beast in an effort to get it to let go of the child's leg.

The plan worked, and Sakura ran forwards to scoop the child up in her arms and carried him to safety. Then, she turned back around to face the monster.

"Syaoran-"

"Sakura, I can't s-"

"Play your flute." She ordered as she stepped forward. "Akiho, Tomoyo-back me up."

Without questioning her, they all nodded. Syaoran removed his flute and started playing a relatively fast melody which caused the monster to immediately shrink back and growl ferociously, then Sakura sang:

_"Water is waving, _

_Oceans are calling_

_Fire is burning_

_Heat deep inside_

_Heaven can wait for me as I'm grounded _

_Here, on earth eternally!_

_Water is waving_

_Oceans are calling_

_Fire is burning_

_Heat deep inside_

_Heaven can wait for me as I'm grounded _

_Here on earth."_

Sakura concentrated her magic into her singing, watching intently as the monster curled in on itself but still resisted the spell. But still, she persisted, singing all the verses of the song with Tomoyo, Akiho and Syaoran all providing her with the support magic she needed. Finally, she took in one deep breath and finished the last line of the song.

_"Heaven can wait for me!"_

The monster convulsed hideously before it exploded with light, shooting up into the air and dispersing some of the cloud of darkness to reveal a small patch of stars in the night sky. The group span around as they heard whispers; people were staring up at the patch of stars in the night sky, all gasping in awe and for the first time since the beginning of the war, there was a glimmer of hope.

Syaoran, however, glanced at Sakura as his mind raced with the last line of the song. He wondered what she had meant by that-he wondered if that meant she would try and fight her fate.

"The boy-!" Sakura suddenly murmured, spinning around to find Kero was standing next to him to protect him from harm.

She knelt down in front of him and smiled gently. "Everything is going to be okay," she said softly as she inspected the bloody wound on his leg. The flesh was torn badly and some of the muscle and bone was visible. It was enough to make anyone faint, but Sakura didn't let herself. Instead, she hummed a gentle tune as she purified the darkness in his leg, while Akiho raced forward to begin applying first aid treatment.

The boys' mother came forward with tears running down her face and thanked the group profusely. Sakura took both of the woman's hands in her own and gave them a gentle squeeze.

"I'm just glad you are both safe," she smiled softly, "Your boy will need medical attention, but I have purified the darkness in the wound. He will be fine."

The woman nodded as she sobbed, giving Sakura a grateful hug before scooping her son up into her arms.

"We should head back to the inn to get our rest," Syaoran spoke, and Sakura nodded agreement.

Akiho and Tomoyo both looked utterly exhausted as well, so they hurried back to the inn while taking care not to get too distracted by anything else.

As soon as they entered the inn, people stared at them with curiosity, but they ignored it in favour of heading straight upstairs to their room.

"I'm so glad that boy is going to be okay." Tomoyo breathed a sigh of relief.

"I am as well." Akiho agreed, "I was so worried for a minute there."

"Well, I think the town can rest a little easier tonight knowing that denizen is dead." Syaoran murmured.

"It was nice to see some stars again." Yue spoke.

"It was." Sakura agreed with a small smile as she climbed back beneath the bed covers.

Syaoran lay down next to her and the room was filled with silence; within moments everyone but Sakura was asleep, the sound of their breathing the only thing she could hear in the room. She tried closing her eyes only to have images of the terrified little boy being dragged by the denizen flash across her mind, making her think of Hazuki and the imminent danger outside the city.

"Your majesty?" Yue spoke through the darkness, knowing the queen was still awake. "Are you bothered by what happened?"

Sakura was quiet for a moment. She looked at Syaoran who appeared to be asleep, but she knew he was likely listening.

"Yes." She replied quietly.

"You saved his life. He's going to be okay." Yue assured her.

"I know, and I'm relieved about that, but... seeing the terror on his face as he was being dragged and hearing his cries... I..."

"You're worried about the princess." Yue stated.

"She... I can't stop thinking about her." Sakura whispered, "She must be so scared."

Syaoran squeezed her body gently. "I'm worried about her too," he said softly, "But she's with people we can trust. We'll be home soon."

Sakura couldn't say anything more to voice what was eating at her mind, or her fears for her daughter. Something was telling her that Hazuki was in terrible danger, and that she needed to get back as soon as humanly possible.

...

Kero landed in the castle grounds feeling completely and utterly exhausted. It had been difficult getting into the capital with all of the denizens and Shadow Warriors lurking around outside the barrier; he'd had to search for a way past them without bringing attention to himself, so it had taken longer than he had expected to get back to the palace.

Eriol approached him swiftly from across the courtyard looking confused and alarmed.

"Keroberos, where is the queen?" he asked.

"She sent me on ahead to fill you in on what's happened and to check on the princess." Kero explained, "She's alright, and Syaoran is with her."

"Thank god." Eriol breathed, "When I saw you without her and Yue, I thought the worst."

He then added, "We can talk inside. I imagine you must be exhausted."

"And starving." Kero replied.

Eriol smiled and turned to begin walking back inside and Kero walked along beside him.

"How are things between Syaoran and her majesty?" Eriol asked as they walked.

"Things seem to have been resolved between them." Kero admitted, "Her majesty was slowly being poisoned by darkness, and she would have died if Syaoran hadn't been there to save her."

Eriol frowned. "I see. That explains her cold demeanour these past few months."

"Things were really tense between the two for a while. Honestly, we all thought she truly hated him." Kero added.

"It's terrifying what can happen when darkness poisons people's hearts." Eriol murmured as they turned the corner, only to see the princess just up ahead.

She spotted Kero and her amber eyes lit up as she ran over to him. "Kero!"

"Princess, be careful." Eriol warned, but Hazuki didn't listen.

She flung her arms around Kero's neck and gave him a big hug.

"Hey there little princess," Kero grinned, "Have you been good?"

Hazuki grinned back at him, "Yup!"

"Princess, isn't Chiharu with you?" Eriol asked.

Just as he asked, though, Chiharu came running around the corner.

"Princess, you mustn't run off like that!" Chiharu breathed.

"Where's mama?" Hazuki asked Kero with a hopeful look. She knew that Kero was always with Sakura, so she had assumed Sakura was home.

"I'm sorry, Princess, but she's not here with me." Kero watched Hazuki's face fall and tears began to form in her eyes. "She and your dad will be home soon though, I promise. If you can just wait a few more days-"

"No!" she shouted, "I want to see mama _now_!"

She began to sob, and Chiharu sighed softly. She knelt down next to Hazuki and pulled her into a hug.

"Your mother will be home in just a few more days," she said softly, "Show your parents how strong you can be, okay?"

The tears continued to fall down Hazuki's pink cheeks; Chiharu picked her up and smiled sadly at the two before turning and carrying her away.

Eriol sighed heavily. "The Princess hasn't been well. She's losing more and more energy each day."

"How are the defences around the city?" Kero asked as they continued down the hall and into the lounge.

"They're weakening," Eriol murmured, "I'm not sure how much longer they will hold, but we're doing our best."

"I see." Kero lay himself down in front of the fire.

"There's one other thing." Eriol added, "The night the queen left was when the shadow warriors and denizens began to surround the capital. No one could have known she was leaving except those of us in the castle."

"You think someone betrayed us?" Kero frowned.

"Yes, whether it was willingly or not." He replied.

Kero swore. "Do you have any idea who it might be?"

Eriol sighed and shook his head. "No. I've got eyes and ears around the castle though,"

"Bloody hell. As if we needed anything _more_ on our plates." The guardian grumbled.

"I know." Eriol agreed. "Now, tell me everything that has happened."

Kero nodded and explained everything that had happened while they were away, down to every last detail. It made for a long night and a lot of information for Eriol to absorb.

"Bloody hell." Eriol murmured as he ran his fingers through his dark hair. "The Firevows ceremony-the oracle and the dragon..."

Kero watched the man as he appeared to be deep in thought. Then, he sighed and sat up straight.

"Very well then."

They were both distracted, however, when they heard loud explosions and the sound of screams outside; Eriol jumped up and ran to the window to peer outside, finding smoke rising from fires and Shadow Warriors and denizens leaving terror in their wake.

He spun around and sprinted out of the room with Kero following right behind him. Knights and guards were all running to defend the castle while staff were headed for the evacuation point.

"Find the princess!" Eriol ordered Kero, who immediately flew off without question.

He searched for her aura of light and felt it heading towards the centre of the castle just like everyone else, so Kero took the shortest route he knew to get to her. He flinched when he heard ear piercing screams from up ahead, and when he got there he saw exactly why.

Chiharu was on the floor in a pool of blood while Rika was holding the screaming princess, looking at the female knight with a cold expression.

"Hazuki!" Kero shouted.

Rika looked at Kero before grinning, revealing a mouth full of sharp needle-like teeth.

As he flew towards her, Rika's body twisted and changed before taking on the shape of a truly ghastly monster with leathery bat-like wings.

"Give the princess back!" Kero roared.

The beast that had been impersonating the medic laughed hideously while Hazuki cried in terror.

"Kero! Kero, help!" she cried, "Mummy! Daddy!"

The shadow warrior leapt out the window with the princess and Kero followed. He chased the monster at full speed, intent on getting the princess back safely, but was knocked to the ground by another denizen.

Feeling mightily pissed off, Kero opened his huge jaws and blew fire at the denizen, causing it to run away screeching before it died somewhere else. But by the time Kero looked back to follow the princess and her abductor, it was too late.

...

Syaoran shook Sakura awake becoming increasingly concerned about her as she called out in her sleep, nightmares plaguing her dreams.

"Sakura!" he called her name louder and her eyes flew open.

Heart racing, Sakura looked around herself and was reminded of where they were; in the forest on the edge of the capital. It was the middle of the night and they still had a full day's walk ahead of them. She glanced over at Akiho and Tomoyo who were both asleep, along with Yue.

"It was just a dream." He said softly.

Sakura relaxed and lay back down, releasing a heavy sigh. Ever since they had left Elestine seven days ago, she'd been having horrible nightmares about the child that had been dragged from his home by that denizen, and something in her gut told her that something was wrong with Hazuki. Syaoran tried to ease her fear by telling her that once their daughter was back in their arms, she would feel better. But those words did little to assuage her fears.

He lay next to her, running his fingers through her hair softly to help soothe her, but when his fingers brushed her skin, he realised she felt warmer than usual.

"I think I'm going to be sick." She quickly sat up and scrambled over to the closest tree, bringing up what she'd eaten for dinner and anything else in her stomach until it was empty.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, looking up when she noticed Syaoran leaning down next to her holding out some water for her. Grateful, she took the water as she murmured a small thank you.

"Is everything okay...?" Tomoyo's tired voice sounded. "Are you not feeling well?"

"Sorry for disturbing you, Tomoyo. I'll be okay in a minute." Sakura replied.

Tomoyo looked at her with worry. "Let me know if you need anything, ok?"

Sakura nodded, and hesitantly, Tomoyo lay back down to go back to sleep.

"Drink," Syaoran ordered, nudging her.

She did, taking sips slowly and being careful not to drink too quickly. When she felt her stomach had started to settle a little, she made her way back over to hers and Syaoran's makeshift bed to lie back down. Syaoran followed, staying awake until he was sure Sakura had fallen back to sleep. Knowing he needed his sleep as well, he tried not to think about her condition too much and closed his eyes.

Morning arrived, but it was hard to tell exactly what time it was due to the darkness covering the sky. Syaoran woke to find that Sakura was already awake and sitting next to the warm embers of what had been the previous night's fire. It was unusual for Sakura to be awake before him, as he was accustomed to having to wake her himself; in the past he usually had to wake her so that she would be on time to meetings or important events. Tomoyo and Akiho were still asleep.

"Morning." She smiled.

"Are you feeling okay? You're never awake before I am." Syaoran murmured as he sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"I'm still a bit nauseous, but I'll be ok." She replied.

Syaoran got up and walked over to her, placing his hand against her forehead to check for a fever.

She still had a slight temperature, but it wasn't as bad as it had been the night before. He glanced over at the tree near her and sighed softly.

"What time did you start vomiting this morning?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Maybe an hour ago?"

"Have you been drinking enough?"

"Syaoran, please. I'll be okay." She assured him firmly.

Realising he was probably being too overbearing for her, he apologised. "I'm sorry."

She shook her head and smiled, "I forgive you."

Tomoyo and Akiho stirred from their slumber, sitting up in their beds.

"It's still so dark." Akiho murmured.

"I hope everything is alright back at the capital." Tomoyo added with worry.

"We should be ready as soon as we can, then." Sakura stated. "The sooner we can leave, the sooner we can get back."

Syaoran wanted to argue, to tell her that she should rest, but he knew they had no time. He also knew that he had to face that fact in its entirety-Sakura being ill was more than likely due to the Darkness and its hold on the land-on her life.

"Alright, then. What shall we have for breakfast, then?" Akiho asked as she moved to begin putting a quick meal together for them.

She removed the last of their fruit, some nuts and some cheese and divided it between them to eat. Sakura ate what she could but ended up putting the rest away to eat later. They packed up camp, Syaoran kicked dirt over the burning embers and then they set foot towards the Capital.

The closer they got, the more denizens-weak and strong alike-they found roaming the forest. Horrific screeches of a beast from the shadows could be heard in the distance. The group moved swiftly with Tomoyo and Akiho singing together, weaving protective charms around them as they travelled. They sang songs of old tales of heroes and love and fantastical adventures, songs that anyone in the Realm of Light knew.

But their songs came to an abrupt stop when they reached the edge of the capital to find it was completely overtaken by Darkness, and a horrific scream tore from Sakura's throat.

* * *

**Welp, what did you think?**

**The song that's featured in this chapter is 'Water, Fire, Heaven, Earth' by Van Canto :) **

**Hoping to have the next chapter written soon but we'll see :)**


	12. A Storm To Come

**Hi guys TT_TT sorry i took so long again. I really do try not to make everyone wait for a billion years between each chapter-anyone who has followed me while i've been writing any of my other stories may know by now that i like to story hop (generally i'm writing about three to four different fics at a time but i might only be uploading one or two to the site at a time)**

**Anyway, thank you all for your reviews, favourites and follows. I just want you to know it makes me very happy whenever i get a little notification :)**

* * *

Syaoran threw his arms around Sakura to stop her from rushing forwards into danger.

"Let me GO!" she screamed, "I have to see if Hazuki is alright!"

"Sakura-listen to me! Rushing straight into danger would be the death of you!" Syaoran shouted.

Unable to contend with Syaoran's strength, her own strength left her body, leaving her exhausted as she sobbed hysterically. She didn't know what she would do if Hazuki was dead. She didn't think she'd have the will to live.

Syaoran held her close, staring out at the fallen city ahead of them. He felt numb, too shocked and horrified to properly respond, but he knew that he couldn't let Sakura rush forward without some sort of plan. It would be suicide.

Akiho looked at Tomoyo with worry, unsure what to do or say in such a dire time. She wanted to comfort the queen, but there was very little that she could do. She didn't know her that well, after all, nor was there much she could do. Tomoyo was the one who stepped forward in the end.

"Sakura, I'm positive Eriol and Kero were able to get the people and Hazuki out of the capital safely. We should head for the mountain fortress, where they will have retreated to."

Yue nodded. "Lady Tomoyo is right."

Syaoran pulled back slightly so he could see Sakura's tear stained face. "I'm sure Hazuki is alright. Let us go and find Eriol and the others, then start on battle strategies and tactics."

Sakura nodded weakly. She wanted whole heartedly to be able to believe that Hazuki was safe with Eriol and Kero, but her gut told her something was very, very wrong.

They made their way to the mountain fortress, careful not to run into any denizens-though that was easier said than done. They did not know what time it was by the time they reached the entrance that led under the mountain, nor did they care to know. Their main concern was to find out if the princess and citizens were safe and sound. Everything else seemed irrelevant.

"It's so dark in here-I can't see a thing." Akiho murmured as they very carefully started to descend the stairs.

Syaoran whistled a three-note tune, conjuring up a ball of light to light their path down before they continued any further.

"I wish I could do that..." Akiho mumbled enviously.

Tomoyo giggled, "I haven't quite perfected the technique either."

"You haven't?" Akiho asked with surprise.

"No." She smiled, "I always excelled more in songs that calmed the mind and soul, as well as being able to do the opposite for enemies. I can use that spell, but I find it takes quite a bit of concentration."

"I see..." Akiho murmured. "There's still so much I need to learn."

"Watch your step." Syaoran interrupted, alerting them of a cracked step in the stone.

He turned and took Sakura's hand, helping her over the loose pile of rock so she didn't slip, then proceeded to help Tomoyo and Akiho as well. Yue had no issue with dodging the step, given that he could simply float over it.

They walked for what felt like a long time, until the narrow passage widened as they approached a very large, heavy stone door that could only be opened by magic.

"Who goes there!?" a guard shouted from up ahead.

"Stand down!" Yue ordered.

"M-master Yue, is that you?" a second guard asked.

"Hold it-we don't know if the denizens are imitating people we know again." The first guard spoke.

"Imitating...?" Syaoran frowned, wondering what on earth they meant by that.

Sakura, however, stepped forward to speak.

"It is I, your Queen. I have returned with my husband, and three other companions. I sent Keroberos ahead of me several days ago to deliver a message to Lord Eriol." Sakura spoke. "If you should need further proof of who we are, I can sing."

There was silence for a long moment. Syaoran suspected they were discussing what their next course of action should be. He squeezed Sakura's hand and she squeezed back, as if trying to keep herself grounded. Several moments later, a familiar figure approached the small group.

"Kero," Sakura's eyes widened in surprise. She had never seen him in such a bad state-his golden fur was dulled and matted, and his face looked haunted.

"My god, what happened to you...?"

Keto lifted his golden eyes to Sakura's. "How old were you when we first met?"

Sakura furrowed her brow. "I was four." She replied, "You and Yue were assigned to me by my father on the day of my birthday."

Kero sighed and nodded. "Eriol will explain everything that's going on. Follow me."

Sakura looked at Syaoran with worry. Tomoyo, Akiho and Yue were all filled with a strong sense of unease, knowing that something was very wrong.

They entered the halls that had been built by their ancestors hundreds of years ago, the natural light of glowing crystals filling the halls. Hundreds of citizens were all huddling together around warm fires, cooking or eating or simply warming up, and their faces looked gaunt. Countless others were rushing around trying to help those in need, whether it be with tending to wounds or caring for loved ones.

Both Syaoran and Sakura knew that from the way the city had been in ruins, they had been driven out by Darkness. There had always been a possibility, and Kero knew that, so Sakura didn't understand why Kero looked so , however, had arrived at a conclusion. One Sakura refused to acknowledge in her own mind. He stopped in his tracks, and the others stopped to see why.

"Where is Hazuki?" Syaoran asked coldly.

Sakura's heart sank and panic rose in her chest. She had thought that maybe she was imagining things-ignoring that she couldn't feel her daughter's aura nearby. Syaoran, just like Sakura, was battling the terror inside him. Hazuki. Where was Hazuki? Why couldn't he feel her presence?

_Where?_

Kero did not answer.

"_Answer_ me, damn it!" Syaoran yelled, gaining the attention of everyone around them.

Sakura could hear the citizens murmuring with relief, glad to see their King and Queen home safe and sound, followed by whispers of confusion at the confrontation. But she paid no attention to them. Her mind was completely numb. Kero turned his head, tears welling up in his eyes.

"They took her away," he replied brokenly, "There was nothing I could do to save her."

...

Eriol looked up as Chiharu approached him. The poor woman looked absolutely exhausted, but he wasn't surprised. Many of the higher-ranking knights were running on very little sleep as they scurried to put together a small taskforce to retrieve the young princess and bring her home safely, while at the same time caring for and tending to the traumatised citizens. The current issue at hand, however, was that they did not know where Hazuki was taken.

"Any news?" Eriol asked.

Just as Chiharu opened her mouth to respond, the door slammed open with a loud bang. What followed was all a blur, and he soon found himself pinned to a wall by none other than a livid Syaoran followed by Yamazaki and several other soldiers.

"How could you let her be taken!?" Syaoran shouted, "You were supposed to protect her!"

Yamazaki and the other soldiers tried to pry Syaoran away from Eriol before he could kill him.

"Your majesty, please stop and listen for a second!" Yamazaki yelled as he struggled. "Lord Eriol has already organised a taskforce to bring her back safely, we're just waiting on some intel!"

Eyes still blazing with fury, Syaoran let go of him and took two steps back before he could give in to the urge to punch him in the face.

"What the hell happened?" Syaoran hissed.

"It was Rika," Chiharu sobbed.

Syaoran stopped and looked at her, speechless. Rika had always been a kind and gentle soul who worked tirelessly making sure everyone was healthy and taken care of. How could it have been her; a girl Sakura had grown up with as a friend since childhood?

"I was trying to protect the princess and get out of the castle when the city was attacked-but..." Chiharu trailed off, fresh tears sliding down her cheeks.

"It wasn't actually Rika." Eriol corrected, "But rather, a Shadow Warrior who had taken her body."

Syaoran fell back into the chair behind him as he struggled to digest the information. It was not uncommon for denizens or Shadow Warriors to take people's bodies and use them for their own agenda-Syaoran had seen it many times during the war. But if they had taken Rika's body, then that could only mean one thing: Rika was dead.

He felt sick. It felt like he was to blame for everything that had happened-had he not left the castle, Sakura wouldn't have come looking for him, and the castle wouldn't have been so vulnerable. If he hadn't left, Hazuki wouldn't be in this mess. Just how long had Rika been dead for?

How much information did Darkness have about the royal family?

"Why? Why would they take Hazuki?" Syaoran whispered.

"She is the princess... she has the same power as her mother and is also both yours and Sakura's greatest weakness." Yamazaki replied solemnly.

"How many days has it been?" Syaoran's voice croaked.

"Two." Eriol replied quietly. "I swear to you that I am doing absolutely everything in my power to get her back as soon as humanly possible."

Syaoran did not answer. Instead, he hung his head in his hands, thinking. Where would they take her?

"Just before you came barging in, Chiharu was delivering some news to me. Perhaps it could be of some help?" Eriol added, looking at Chiharu hopefully.

Chiharu nodded. "The Princess has been sighted in the eastern forest."

"So, near the gate to the Realm of Darkness." Eriol murmured.

"You found the gate?" Syaoran asked, surprised.

Eriol nodded, "But we haven't been able to find out how to close it."

"You can't, unless you find the one who opened it." Syaoran replied, "I learned that while I was travelling."

"That's going to be impossible! There are countless numbers of denizens and the Shadow Warriors aren't stupid enough to put themselves anywhere near something that could kill them if they did open the gate." Chiharu said.

There was a nagging in the back of Syaoran's mind, telling him that Darkness wanted Hazuki for something other than to destroy him and Sakura, but he just couldn't think why.

"Syaoran?" Eriol frowned. "What is it?"

"I don't know yet," he replied, "I'm thinking."

"Care to share?" Eriol raised his brow.

Syaoran furrowed his brow. "Darkness knew they couldn't take Sakura once the blessing of light had been renewed-Sakura and I would have just destroyed them whenever they tried to. I think that's why they took Hazuki."

"But isn't that what we were just talking about? That she's your greatest weakness?" Yamazaki asked.

"No. You're not listening properly." Syaoran said, "Hazuki is of Sakura's bloodline, as well as mine."

Eriol's face turned pale as he realised what Syaoran meant. "You think...they need her for some other reason..."

Syaoran nodded, still thinking hard. What? What could they possibly...?

"Oh no," he whispered, "God no, that can't be..."

"What? Syaoran, you're scaring me." Eriol frowned.

Syaoran looked up at him with horror. "They're going to try and use her to destroy the Altar."

...

Sakura woke to the worried faces of Akiho, Tomoyo and Kero who were all sitting around her makeshift bed. Everything that had happened soon came crashing back into her full force as she remembered it, her chest tightening painfully.

"Sakura, are you feeling alright? Do you need a drink of water?" Tomoyo asked worriedly.

Sakura shook her head. She wasn't alright and she didn't need any water either.

"Did I faint?" Sakura asked hoarsely.

Akiho nodded. "The medics say it was because you were so overwhelmed with the stress."

A sudden strong wave of nausea twisted Sakura's stomach; she rolled into her side and sat up just enough, and seeing she was about to vomit, Akiho swiftly grabbed the bucket next to her and shoved it under her while Tomoyo rushed to get some water.

Sakura gratefully took the tumbler from Tomoyo, slowly sipping the cool liquid while Akiho checked her for a temperature.

"You have a slight fever... you should rest." Akiho advised.

"How can I rest when my daughter has been abducted by the enemy!?" Sakura snapped, startling Akiho, but then her face became remorseful.

"I'm sorry, Akiho…"

Akiho shook her head. "It's alright. I understand-I'm positive I would feel the same way if I were in your position."

Akiho was sure that she would feel just as terrified, angry and distressed if her child was taken from her.

"Syaoran has gone to see Eriol." Tomoyo added, "He was absolutely livid, so I'm not sure Eriol is even still alive..."

"Kero," Sakura murmured, "Would you mind going and getting him...?"

"Of course. I'll be right back." Kero quickly got to his paws and hurried off to find the King.

"I overheard one of the guards talking earlier," Yue informed Sakura, "Eriol has been putting together a taskforce to bring back the princess."

Sakura nodded. That was good to hear, at least.

"I always thought that denizens and Shadow Warriors were just monsters with nothing but a thirst for blood and destruction." Akiho said quietly.

"No," Sakura murmured, "Many denizens and Shadow Warriors were once human. They're intelligent, but don't be fooled. They are no longer the people they once were-they're cold, heartless monsters and want nothing more than to see this world perish."

Akiho looked horrified. "So... the people who are overtaken by Darkness..."

Sakura nodded sadly. "They turn into those beasts."

As soon as the words left her mouth, another wave of nausea hit her, causing her to vomit into the bucket once again.

"Sakura-!"

Tomoyo and Akiho looked up as Syaoran ran over to her to help her, holding her hair back from her face as she brought up the remaining contents of her stomach.

"You have a fever." He stated.

"It's only small. More importantly, what's happening with finding Hazuki?" Sakura croaked, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"The team is assembling right now," he explained, "I'm going with them."

"I'm going too." Sakura stated firmly.

He frowned, "What? No-you need to rest."

"Syaoran, I'm serious." She said, looking him in the eye.

He held her gaze. "And so am I. I promise I will bring Hazuki home, but you're ill and you need to rest before we perform our duty."

Sakura knew he was right. She couldn't think of anything to counter his argument, and it infuriated her to a certain degree. She wanted to go to her daughter, to bring her home safely in her arms and tell her that everything would surely be alright.

Tears slid down her cheeks and he pulled her into his arms while she sobbed, holding her as she cried silently into his chest.

Both Tomoyo and Akiho couldn't help but feel completely useless in Sakura and Syaoran's time of need. All they could really do was let them know that they were there to support them, but beyond that there was nothing more they could do, and it was the most frustrating feeling in the world.

"Syaoran." Kero spoke from where he was sitting, "Let me go with you to help bring Hazuki home."

Syaoran furrowed his brow, "I don't know..."

"My flames can clear a path quickly-you can't deny I'd be a valuable asset!" Kero urged.

"He's right." Yue added, "I'll be able to protect her majesty on my own. Please do not worry."

Syaoran looked back to Sakura, "What do you think, Sakura?"

She nodded, "I think he should go with you."

It was obvious that Syaoran didn't want the guardian to come along, mostly because he was worried about Sakura but also because he was still rather angry with him for not protecting Hazuki properly. He didn't want to look at the guardian right now, let alone talk to him.

"Fine." He quipped.

"Do you know where they are keeping the Princess?" Yue asked.

"We have reason to believe that they will try and use Hazuki to destroy the Altar." Syaoran explained.

Sakura's eyes widened. "But if that happens, we'll never be able to restore balance to our world and Hazuki will..."

Syaoran took her hand and squeezed it gently. "It won't happen."

"And what if that isn't what they are planning?" Tomoyo asked. "What then?"

"We cannot waste time on what ifs. Regardless, I know it to be true." Sakura spoke in an authoritative tone.

Tomoyo sighed softly. "You always did have a sixth sense about these sorts of things."

Sakura took a deep breath and wiped away her tears. Crying any more than she already had would not be of any benefit to her or anyone around her. She looked at Syaoran and Kero with a renewed determination.

"I entrust this mission to you: Protect the Altar and bring Hazuki home safely."

They both nodded and Syaoran stood. "We will depart at once."

Sakura stood as well, despite feeling quite weak and a little dizzy, but she refused to let it keep her down.

"May the Light guide and protect you from those who would do you harm."

With their orders given, the two turned to go and meet up with the rest of the taskforce.

...

The temperature at night often dropped quite drastically compared to what it had been during the day, making for a freezing cold night. Terrified and shivering and in pain, Hazuki sobbed. The four-year-old had no idea where she was, and just wanted her mum and dad to take her away from the scary place. There were Denizens surrounding her in the area among the trees and bushes, all eyeing her with curiosity or an insatiable thirst for her blood. They were all terrifying creatures with gleaming red eyes and razor sharp teeth and claws.

She covered her ears with her hands in an attempt to block out the growling noises the denizens made and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Mummy..." she whimpered.

Something brushed against her leg and her eyes flew open; next to her was a very small shadowy blob with big black eyes. It looked up at Hazuki questioningly and squeaked. Hazuki stared at it, unsure what to make of the little blob. Hesitantly, she reached out a tiny shaking hand and poked it. The little blob froze and keeled over, pretending to be dead much to Hazuki's confusion, then it popped back upright a few seconds later making an odd little happy squeaking sound. Hazuki was surprised at first, but then she smiled as it started bouncing up and down as though it were trying to cheer her up. It then bounced away much to her fear.

"Wait!" she cried desperately.

The blob turned to look at her, bounced back over and then away again.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Hazuki asked, scared.

The blob squeaked in response. Hazuki looked around at all of the other denizens, scared that they would do something to her if she tried to leave. But when they made no move to stop her, she got to her feet and followed the blob despite the pain racking her body. It bounced along ahead, occasionally stopping to look back at her to make sure she was still following, then continued on.

"Wait for me!" she called after the strange creature as she chased it through the forest.

She chased after it for as long as she could hold out, but her body just could not cope, and she collapsed on the forest floor.

* * *

**Fingers crossed it won't be too long for the next chapter is out! I've started it, but again, i story hop. hahaha xD**

**Review? **


	13. Fight For Your Life

**Hey guys! Sorry for the super late update, but thank you so much for waiting. I truly appreciate your reviews and follows and favourites-it makes me happy knowing someone enjoys my stuff haha**

**Enjoy!**

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Sakura called forth a war council meeting despite her ill state, but she had made up her mind to trust in Syaoran and his team to get Hazuki back. Therefore, she needed to prepare for the inevitable and what would hopefully be the last and final upcoming battle.

She looked at the areas Yamazaki had marked on the large map, deep in thought. She was well versed in tactics and war as she was taught since she could speak, so she knew well that there were very few tactical positions they could possibly utilise in order to achieve their goal.

Everyone had been bickering over the best way to approach the situation, mostly over how none of their strategies would work since they didn't have the upper hand or any kind of advantage, since they'd been driven from the city. Sakura didn't blame them, though-they were right to be concerned, and in some ways they were also correct in that it would just be a death sentence. But Sakura disagreed.

"I and the four chosen need time to get to the altar in the city. In order to do that, we will need to draw away the denizens and warriors from the city." She spoke. "Therefore, I propose that we have two forces-one coming from the east; the other from the west."

"Wouldn't that be a little risky? If we make one wrong move, we could be wiped out." Chiharu objected.

"I've tried my best to think of every other possible strategy that might work, but I firmly believe this one has the best outcome for success." Sakura replied, "A small raiding force will head in and drive the enemy out into the waiting forces. We can take advantage of points in the city since we know it far better than they do."

"While the enemy is distracted," Yue continued, "Her majesty and the others can slip by to get to the altar."

Chiharu nodded, understanding.

"How should we prepare for the coming fight?" Eriol asked from where he stood across the other side of the table.

"Everyone should be sure to get plenty of rest. Exercise your vocal chords, spend time with those you love while remaining on standby. This will be the final battle."

...

Taking horses was the fastest and most efficient way for the group of twelve to get to the city. Syaoran was not sure if Darkness knew where the altar was, and he prayed that they didn't for Hazuki's sake. Each second that ticked by was like torture for him, his mind reeling with fear and anxiety for his baby daughter.

Was Hazuki okay?

Was she still alive?

His chest felt tight, like something was squeezing the oxygen out of his lungs. It was all he could do to stop his panic running its course, despite knowing that panicking would not do anything for the situation.

When they were close enough, they dismounted in the woods behind one of the large residential districts. Syaoran turned to the group and spoke in a low voice.

"We'll split into two groups. Kerberos, you take Mizuki, Yuri, Taki, Izuru and Rin. Hazuki's aura is faint, but I can feel it-she's near the Grand Library, so that means they don't know where the altar is. They're likely trying to look for it, and probably dumped her somewhere so they could return to get her once they found it. Circle round from the south and try and close in. Everyone else, you're with me."

"Be careful out there." Kero replied.

Syaoran nodded. "You as well."

They parted ways. Syaoran and his team silently made their way through the dark streets, carefully evading the larger denizens and roaming Shadow Warriors. They quickly ducked behind a wall as a large, looming denizen slowly made its way past, its breathing raspy and dry. There was a brief moment where he thought it had caught their scent as it stopped to sniff the air. Glancing at his other comrades, he could tell they were all trying hard not to panic as well. Syaoran could hear his heart pounding in his ears, his hands clammy, and he prayed for it to start moving again.

It felt like hours before it finally passed, then they hurried across the road to continue making their way to the Grand Library as fast as they could. Syaoran nearly swore out loud when he felt something collide with his ankle and he looked down to see a small dark blob with big eyes looking up at him desperately.

"What the...?" Yamazaki frowned, completely bewildered like the rest of the group.

"It's harmless." Syaoran murmured as he watched it bounce away a few metres, then back over to him, then away again.

"Your majesty, I think it wants you to follow it." One of the other soldiers spoke.

He frowned as it then started pulling on the hem of his pants with its mouth, seeming desperate. But desperate for what?

For it to lure them into a trap?

"It could be a trap." Yamazaki echoed Syaoran's thoughts.

Syaoran furrowed his brow. Something told him that wasn't the case-that this creature harboured no ill intent towards them.

"If it wanted us dead it would have called it's friends by now. Besides, I have a strong feeling that it means no harm to us." Syaoran concluded. "Lead the way, then."

Yamazaki didn't look so sure, but he trusted Syaoran's instincts. The little black blob then bounced off, stopping to make sure Syaoran and his team were following. They all stayed on heightened alert; ducking behind walls to make sure they hadn't been caught and checking their surroundings to make sure they were safe, while the strange bouncing blob waited for them to catch up.

They were led to a familiar landmark, much to Syaoran's surprise. The library was in ruins. Parts of the roof and walls had collapsed into rubble, but it was in a better shape than most other buildings. As Syaoran approached the building, he realised the strange creature was leading them to the library gardens. He could sense Hazuki was close by, making him more and more impatient by the second.

A flood of emotions clouded his senses when he spotted her lying on the grass near a green hedge. At first, he felt relief seeing her, but then he felt fear as he wondered what was wrong with her. He ran straight to her and carefully lifted her into his arms-she was very pale, which alarmed him, but her breathing was even.

"Hazuki," he spoke her name softly, "Can you hear me?"

Her brow scrunched together as she roused from her sleep.

"Come on Honey, wake up." He gently coaxed her, and when she opened her tired eyes he smiled with relief.

"Papa...?" her voice was barely audible, but he heard her.

"Hey sweetheart," he smiled, "Let's get you out of here."

As he stood with her in his arms, Hazuki wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and buried her face in his shoulder.

"Let's try and meet up with Kerberos and his team without attracting any attention." Yamazaki murmured, "That's easier said than done, though."

Syaoran nodded agreement. He had no doubts they would eventually run into a denizen or a warrior soon.

"Where should we go?" One of the other soldiers asked.

"Kerberos is nearby," Syaoran said, "I can sense his aura."

"I'll go in front if you can give directions?" Yamazaki offered.

Syaoran nodded, "Good plan."

The little blob that had led Syaoran and his team to Hazuki, jumped up and onto Hazuki's shoulder, nestling itself under her hair. Syaoran made a mental note to keep an eye on it, worried that it wasn't as friendly as it seemed despite what his intuition told him. He may have a sixth sense for knowing if things were safe or dangerous, but he couldn't help but be extra cautious given their circumstances.

With Syaoran giving directions, the team of six slowly and carefully continued their way through the city. Hazuki occasionally shifted in her sleep, forcing Syaoran to adjust his hold on her every now and again, but so far, they'd had no trouble.

"There's a Shadow Warrior just up ahead. When it passes into the next street, we can continue." Yamazaki relayed to the team. They were currently ducked behind a wooden fence out of view, but if they didn't move soon, they were sure to be caught.

"Ok, it's gone. Let's go." Yamazaki murmured as he made for a mad dash across the wide-open street, followed by the rest of the team.

Once they were safely across, Syaoran determined where Kero was located, but before he could mention anything to the others, a wall of flame erupted up ahead.

"Fuck."

Everyone swore, attracting the attention of several other denizens nearby.

"Run!" Syaoran yelled.

They all broke into a run. Syaoran held onto Hazuki tightly so as not to drop her, and up ahead Kero and his team were racing straight towards them. Following behind both teams, however, were a pack of denizens of all shapes and sizes intent on feeding on their souls and minds. One Denizen lashed out at the group, one of its sharp talons ripping into Syaoran's arm. He grit his teeth against the pain, trying not to cry out. Another Denizen reached out to swipe at the group, clipping some of the other soldiers and causing them to stumble briefly. Thankfully they regained their balance and were able to continue running.

"Use your fire!" Syaoran yelled at Kero.

"It's of no use! It won't be effective enough without your back up!" Kero yelled back.

Syaoran grit his teeth. He was the only one powerful enough to get them all out alive, and yet he knew that to sing again would mean having to say goodbye to Sakura.

_'But Hazuki and everyone else are in serious danger.' _

He couldn't run away anymore. He had caused enough damage by leaving Sakura and Hazuki to try and find a way to save them without Sakura sacrificing herself, and so many had already died due to their inaction. Perhaps at the beginning of the invasion, there could have been a way to stop Darkness without losing Sakura, but it was too late now.

"Syaoran, if we don't do something, we'll all die!" Yamazaki urged.

"Daddy, I'm scared." Hazuki's tiny voice cut through him as her little hands gripped his shirt tightly.

He had to protect her.

"Using my songs to strengthen our magic, we should be able to put up a protective barrier that will give us enough time to retreat safely." Syaoran called out to the group, "Kerberos, can I count on you to hold them at bay for just a second?"

"What kind of dumb question is that? Of course, I can!" Kero growled.

"On the count of three!" Syaoran said, "One, two, THREE!"

They all stopped and turned; Kero immediately went on the attack, breathing a furious line of flame towards the pack of enemies, but not without consequence. They lashed out through the flames, some managing to get a few slashes in on him and another managed to bite him. Syaoran, with the courage to sing once more, allowed the lyrics to flow naturally. He was furious with Darkness and the havoc it had wreaked on his world and his loved ones, and he wanted them to know that he and his people were coming and would destroy them.

_"Winds will change and skies will fall,_

_When the bards arrive,_

_When the bards call sounds out loud_

_We all feel so alive_

_Earth will shake and fires burn, _

_When the bards unite_

_When the bards call sounds out loud_

_We're so alive tonight!"_

The denizens and warriors shrank back, hearing the song Syaoran sang. As he sang, the others worked together building a barrier from the melody, weaving the magic through the air.

"Now is our chance!" Syaoran called, "Let's hurry."

With the barrier in place, the denizens and warriors wouldn't be able to follow them any further until they broke through, and with Syaoran's song being the basis for the spell, it would take them a while.

...

Wiping the vomit from her mouth, Sakura proceeded to splash cold water onto her face. She was running a fever again.

"Sakura, please rest. You've done enough for today-you have to rest your body." Tomoyo pleaded from where she stood behind her.

Sakura turned to look at her best friend and sighed softly. "I'm sorry for always making you worry."

"If you're sorry, then you should _rest_." Tomoyo folded her arms across her chest with a frown.

Sakura nodded. "I'll go and lie down for a little while. Would you mind overseeing things while I rest?"

Tomoyo sighed with relief. "Anything, as long as you rest."

"Thank you." Sakura smiled gratefully before passing her to go and lie down.

She stopped, though, when she heard a commotion. Tomoyo furrowed her brow.

"I wonder what's going on..."

Akiho then came running through, stopping to catch her breath. She had been talking with Eriol, who had been explaining to her exactly what her role was and what she needed to prepare for, so it was a bit of a surprise to see her.

"Akiho, what's happening?" Sakura asked.

"His majesty and the princess are back!" Akiho announced, breathless.

Sakura's heart sped up. Were they all okay? How was Hazuki?

"Where are they?" Sakura asked quickly.

"They're on their way." Akiho replied, "The medics are right behind them."

"Oh, thank goodness." Sakura sighed with relief. She was so relieved to hear that they were home-she just hoped they were unharmed.

It didn't take long for Syaoran to find his way to where Sakura was waiting eagerly. As soon as her eyes landed on Syaoran and Hazuki, she ran to them.

Syaoran looked completely exhausted and his arm was bleeding, alarming her. Kero, who stood beside him, looked a little worse with several large cuts all bleeding, and a nasty looking bite on his hind leg.

"What happened? Is everyone okay? How is Hazuki?" Sakura asked with worry.

"Everyone's made it back alive, but not without some severe wounds." Syaoran answered softly as he carefully shifted Hazuki into her arms.

The sleeping child curled into her mother's warmth.

"She's so pale," Sakura whispered.

"We were able to fend them off thanks to Syaoran's song." Kero added, causing Sakura's eyes to widen with surprise.

The medics spilled into the room, followed by Nakuru, the new head medic and a soldier. She had been close friends with Touya and Yukito, and thus was close with the royal family, so she had no problems with being harsh with the King and Queen.

"Your grace, please sit down before you faint from a loss of blood." The woman ordered, "Sakura doesn't need that kind of stress right now, especially since I've ordered her to rest. You too Kero-you look like you've been through a blender."

Syaoran furrowed his brow. "Have you been feeling worse?" he asked Sakura as she allowed Nakuru to check Hazuki, while the other medics focused on tending to Kero's and Syaoran's wounds.

Akiho immediately stepped in to help the medics, gathering the materials they needed and fresh water to clean the wounds.

"Yes, but a plan of attack was needed, and I couldn't sit around doing nothing." Sakura replied, "Can we please not argue about this right now?"

Syaoran sighed softly and nodded, understanding that all she wanted was to be with him and Hazuki before the real battle began.

"Hazuki appears to be normal-well, as normal as she can be, given the circumstances," Nakuru spoke, "but... who-or what-is her new friend?"

Sakura turned her head to see what the medic was talking about and spotted the small black blob next to Hazuki. Immediately, Sakura frowned and as she was about to storm over, Syaoran grabbed her wrist to stop her. She whirled around on him, furious, but before she could say anything, he spoke.

"That one led me to where Hazuki was. It seems to have taken a liking to Hazuki." Syaoran explained, "Though I'm not entirely sure if it can be trusted, it's shown no ill intentions."

Sakura studied the creature. She sensed no malice or despair from it, and while she knew that the small denizens were harmless, it could still tell other denizens where it was.

"It led you to Hazuki?" She asked.

"Yes. It sought us out and was very persistent..." Syaoran murmured.

"You could have walked into a trap!" Sakura cried.

"My intuition told me that wasn't the case. If it wanted to have me and the others killed, it would have just alerted all of the other denizens in the area of our whereabouts, but it didn't." Syaoran replied.

"Are you sure that coming back here with it isn't a trap?" Kero asked as he slumped himself down on the floor at the foot of the makeshift bed.

"There is no point in arguing about it now." Nakuru cut in abruptly, "What's done, is done. Spend what little time you can with your family and friends. God knows what's going to happen in the coming hours or days."

Both Syaoran and Sakura sighed, knowing Nakuru was right. There was little they could do about it now, so all they could do was to be wary while they finished preparing for the battle.

Sakura glanced over at Hazuki, where she was sleeping soundly in the bed. She hated to leave her while they finalised the battle strategy, but she had no choice. She was the Queen, after all, and she had a duty.

"We should all meet with Eriol so that we can explain the strategy to Syaoran and Kero." She spoke, "Tomoyo, Akiho, Yue-you should come as well."

As she said that she looked to Nakuru who smiled kindly. "I'll watch over the princess."

"Thank you." Sakura replied gratefully, hoping she'd be able to return to Hazuki's side soon.

Eriol was speaking to one of the soldiers when they approached, and when he noticed them, he quickly ended his discussion with the soldier and walked over to them.

"I heard you were able to safely retrieve the princess," Eriol said, "I'm sorry you were all wounded so horribly."

Syaoran nodded. "How are the others?"

Eriol looked grim. "One of the soldiers who went with you is now in a critical condition."

Sakura frowned. "Hold on-Syaoran, I thought you said they were all okay?"

"As far as I knew, they were." He replied.

Sakura clasped her hands worriedly.

"I heard that your song saved your lives," Eriol added.

Syaoran lowered his eyes and nodded. "I can sing again."

"That's a good thing," Sakura smiled, "We'll be able to-"

"How is it a good thing when I know I'm going to lose you!?" Syaoran shouted.

Everyone stood in silence as they were suddenly forced to remember the sacrifices they would be forced to make to save the realm.

"Syaoran, I..." Sakura trailed off, not sure what to say. They may have already talked about the harsh subject, but it was still hard to accept.

Syaoran took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout like that."

"It's okay. This is hard on all of us." Sakura replied quietly.

Eriol returned their attention to strategy for the upcoming battle, explaining to Syaoran and the group what had been discussed in the meeting. Syaoran frowned as he looked at the map, lost deep in thought.

"What are you thinking?" Yue asked him.

"We have the advantage of knowing the city," Syaoran explained, "we can utilise that to our advantage. The group that are coming from the south should be able to sneak in using our hidden passageways. This way, we can drive the Darkness out of the city and into an ambush by the western force who will be surrounding the outer edge as you had already planned."

"We can also utilise the traps around the city that were put into place in case of an emergency." Eriol added, "They were designed for a much smaller scale attack, but they'll still be useful to us-especially as we make our way to the altar."

"Yue and Kero should accompany us while we head there." Sakura replied. "We'll need their help."

Syaoran nodded agreement. "If worst comes to the worst, we'll need them to maintain a barrier while we..." he trailed off for a moment and cleared his throat.

"While we cast the spell." Tomoyo finished quietly.

The tension in the air was suffocating for everyone. Sakura took a deep breath and released it. "Tomoyo, you've been working with Akiho and teaching her the songs, have you not?"

"Yes, your grace." Tomoyo confirmed.

Sakura nodded. "Akiho, this will not be an easy fight. I'm sorry we've had to drag you into this, but we need you."

Akiho nodded once, her face set with a look of determination. "I swear that I will do everything in my power to save our realm."

Sakura smiled kindly. "Thank you, Akiho."

"Well, we should all try and get some rest before the battle." Eriol murmured. "I'm positive that you both are eager to be with the princess."

Sakura and Syaoran both nodded slightly. Eriol was right-they did want to be with their daughter, especially since it was likely to be Sakura's last moments with her.

"We'll be going back to her, then." Syaoran said.

The others nodded, understanding, no one questioning them or stopping them as they left.

Meanwhile, deep under the mountains, the dragon stirred from its sleep as it remembered something deep inside from the long-forgotten past.

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	14. If I Die in Battle

**HI GUYS! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in such a long time TAT I had a dry period where i couldn't figure out how to connect things properly, and ended up taking a break and working on another story. BUT-I am here and i am working on QoH again! **

**Thank you so much for your reviews, favourites and follows-it means so much to me!**

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Everywhere she looked, Akiho saw pain and suffering. Families grieved over the loss of loved ones and their homes; others feared what was to come. She watched as children of soldiers clung to their parents who would inevitably have to fight in the upcoming battle, as well as young couples struggling to come to terms with the reality that they may have to say goodbye forever.

As she watched, she could not help but feel a painful ache in her chest as she longed to be able to give Yuna and Momo a goodbye, should the worst become a reality. She missed him and Momo dearly-they were her family after all-so in a way she couldn't help but feel envious.

She took a deep breath and released it carefully as she acknowledged her feelings. Despite her feelings of envy, there was still hope. There was still hope for her to return to her own little family back on that small island where she lived and worked as a bar maid. She just wished it did not have to be through the sacrifice of the Queen.

"Hey," Tomoyo smiled as she sat down with Akiho at the table, "Is everything alright?"

Akiho looked at her new friend and smiled a little sadly. "I was just thinking of Momo and Yuna," she confessed, "I miss them."

"The three of you are close." Tomoyo said.

Smiling, Akiho looked down at her hands. "We are."

"Sakura is really grateful for your help, by the way... she doesn't show it, but I know she's been worried that we've placed too much of a burden on you." Tomoyo spoke softly as she watched a father play with his kids.

"I admit that knowing the fate of the world rests on my shoulders does scare me. I often find myself worrying about what would happen if I somehow messed up the songs." Akiho confessed. "Do you ever feel scared?"

"All the time." Tomoyo replied after a brief pause, "I know that if I mess up a single verse or even a note, it could change our fate. I don't want Sakura's sacrifice to be in vain."

"How do you deal with it?" Akiho asked, hoping that maybe Tomoyo could give her some kind of guidance-anything that might help alleviate her anxiety and fears.

"Believing in myself." Tomoyo replied gently.

Akiho looked bewildered, so she continued.

"I don't mean that in a self-centred manner." She explained, "I know that I am skilled in what I do, and I know that because of that, I can perform the songs. I have sung countless songs without mistakes-so I can do it this time, as well. I have everyone's support, just like I support everyone. I'm not alone, and neither are you."

Akiho wished she could have the same confidence in herself as Tomoyo had for herself. She was scared-scared that if she failed, then the deaths of the people would be her fault.

Just like her parents.

"Akiho?" Tomoyo called her name softly, seeing that the young woman was deeply troubled by something.

Akiho looked up to meet her eyes.

Tomoyo smiled softly. "Please have faith in yourself. Everyone back at your hometown certainly do."

Her eyes widened, "Everyone...?"

"I saw how much they love you and your singing," Tomoyo added, "Try thinking about the people you want to protect."

Once more, Akiho thought back to Yuna and Momo, who were waiting for her to return along with everyone else in the small town. She had to protect them with everything she had-she couldn't run away scared. Not this time.

"I'll do that," she replied with a small smile.

"We should get some more practice in," Tomoyo then said, "Maybe it will help to ease your anxiety a little."

Akiho nodded, "Thank you Tomoyo, I really appreciate it."

Tomoyo smiled. Truthfully, she was terrified and struggling to hold herself together. She and Sakura had been extremely close since childhood-they were like sisters, and just like Syaoran and Eriol, the thought of losing Sakura was too painful to bear.

...

Sakura hummed a soft lullaby as she lay in the bed beside Hazuki, while Syaoran rested on the child's other side, watching them. Hazuki turned in her sleep, rolling onto her side and burrowing into Syaoran's warmth.

Sakura smiled, "She's really missed you."

"I missed her too." He said softly, "Both of you."

Sakura wasn't sure what to say. She was afraid of saying something that would only cause Syaoran more pain, and she hated seeing him suffer. It seemed Syaoran was struggling to find words as well with similar fears, not wanting to hurt Sakura any further either.

"I sent gifts for your birthdays while I was away... I don't know if they reached the two of you or not..." he said instead.

Sakura still could not remember much from the times she was possessed by Darkness, so her memory was fuzzy.

"I'm sorry... I can't remember." She whispered sadly.

He held her hand in his and squeezed gently. "It's okay."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

"I'm not sure what to make of the fuzzy...black...thing." She suddenly spoke, glancing over at the creature that was sleeping on a cushion nearby.

Syaoran hummed. "I don't know either. But..."

Sakura looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to continue.

"Its aura isn't like that of Darkness." He murmured. "It's hard to describe."

"I see. You noticed as well."

"Yue and Keroberos both mentioned it too, earlier this evening." He added.

"So, they feel it too..." Sakura murmured.

"Regardless, I honestly don't think it will harm Hazuki. It seems attached to her." Syaoran said, "But even so, I'll be keeping a very close eye on it."

"Hazuki hasn't had a chance to make many friends," Sakura said sadly, "I want her to have companions, like I do."

"I agree." Syaoran said with a small smile, "We can give her that chance when this is over."

Sakura nodded. She wanted a bright and happy future for everyone-she just wished she were included in that future.

"Let's get some sleep," Syaoran said softly, "Tomorrow will be a long day."

No longer able to keep her eyes open, Sakura closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Syaoran drifted off soon after, utterly exhausted after the horrific day he had had.

...

Syaoran woke to Hazuki tugging on his shirt, calling his name. He opened his eyes and turned his head to find she was standing beside the bed.

"Hey sweetheart," he murmured, "What's up?"

"I'm hungry." Hazuki mumbled as her tummy growled.

He smiled and sat up. "Okay-lets go find something to eat."

As he stood, Syaoran looked around for Sakura. She was not with them, so he guessed she must have been called for something and left him to sleep. He pulled on his heavy leather boots and grabbed his flute, hanging it around his neck, and strapped his sword to his waist. Then, the two of them left.

"Daddy?" Hazuki asked, tugging on his hand, "What's everyone dressing in shiny clothes for?"

It took a moment for Syaoran to realise she was referring to the armour the soldiers were wearing. He squeezed her hand gently. "It's to protect them when they fight."

"Oh." She said, "Daddy, why couldn't I see you for so long?"

Syaoran stopped and lifted Hazuki into his arms. He had been expecting the question for a while-she would not understand the complexity of his reasons; she was only three. So, he had to find a way to tell her in a way that she could understand.

"I was off travelling to find some things for you and your mother." He said gently, "I promise I'll tell you more when you grow up."

Hazuki nibbled her cheek, a habit she had whenever she was feeling a bit agitated. She knew that he was not telling her the real reason and she knew he wouldn't, so she just had to be content with that.

"Now, how about some food, hm?"

She just nodded. Still carrying Hazuki in his arms, Syaoran set off to find something to eat; the palace cook, who had been helping out with meals for those who were unable to make their own meals, was more than happy to give the two of them a bowl of stew each and some bread to go with it.

They sat down at one of the nearby tables to eat together. Hazuki did not waste any time eating, which relieved Syaoran to a degree. It meant she was feeling well enough to eat properly.

An elderly woman passed them, looking for somewhere she could sit and eat. Syaoran stood and walked over to her.

"Please," he said softly, "You can sit here."

"My, I would never dream of taking your seat, your majesty." The woman said.

"I insist." Syaoran smiled.

"Well, I shouldn't say no then, should I?" The woman smiled and hobbled over to the table with Syaoran's help. "Thank you for your kindness."

"It was my pleasure." Syaoran replied, giving her a kind smile.

They were distracted by a young woman crying, begging her partner not to leave for battle. It appeared that she was pregnant.

"I'm begging you, please don't go!" she cried, clutching her partner's clothing as she sobbed.

"Poor dear," the old woman sighed sympathetically, "I can't imagine how hard it must be for you youngsters."

Syaoran did not say anything. He was trying hard not to think about the upcoming battle, and what it entailed. He felt a painful ache in his chest, but he tried not to let it show on his face.

"Daddy?" Hazuki asked, "Will you and mama be going away too?"

Syaoran walked around to where Hazuki was sitting and kissed the top of her head. "Yes, but only for a little while."

Hazuki put some bread in her mouth, staring at the now empty bowl in front of her. Syaoran knew she was upset about him and Sakura having to leave her alone again, but it could not be helped. He and Sakura were vital to the success of the mission and eradicating Darkness.

"Have you finished eating?" he asked, "We can go look for your mother so that you can say goodbye."

"Okay," she replied, sliding off her chair.

"I'm sorry, but we must be going now." Syaoran apologised for the old woman, who just smiled.

"Take care, your majesty." She replied.

Syaoran picked Hazuki up again and made his way to the tents where the generals and ministers usually discussed strategy and various other matters. He had assumed Sakura was talking with Eriol or some of the others about the preparation work for their departure but was surprised when he couldn't find her.

Eriol looked up from the table he was using as a desk as Syaoran walked in, his eyes widening. "Syaoran, Princess, what brings you two here?"

Kero and Yue were both with Eriol as well, looking just as surprised to see that Sakura was not with them.

"Have you seen Sakura? I can't pinpoint her location." Syaoran replied.

"Sorry, I haven't. I thought she'd be with you." Eriol said apologetically.

Yue and Kero looked at each other briefly, a silent message passing between them.

"She asked us to help Eriol and the others with preparations for our departure when she woke up this morning. We assumed she would stay with you and Hazuki." Kero explained.

Syaoran sighed softly. "Okay, thank you."

"How are you feeling today, Princess?" Eriol asked Hazuki.

Hazuki shrugged.

"Don't shrug when asked a question." Syaoran said softly, but sternly.

Hazuki looked a bit guilty. "I don't know..." she mumbled.

Eriol smiled, "That's okay."

"I'll see you later, then." Syaoran then said.

Eriol nodded, "Sure. Take care."

"Come on Huz," he murmured softly as he left the tent, part of him becoming anxious. He wasn't sure why, exactly, but he was worried something was wrong.

...

Sakura felt completely numb as her mind struggled to process the news she had just been given. Why now, of all times? Why did this have to happen now? It felt cruel, as though Darkness itself was laughing in her face.

She was alone, having sought out a spot where she would not be bothered. She was not sure what she wanted, exactly; part of her wanted to have company, while a larger part of her wanted to be alone, and both sides were warring with each other and neither were winning.

"Sakura?"

She froze when she heard his voice. She looked up to see Syaoran with Hazuki in his arms, his expression worried. She wanted desperately to run to him and let her tears stream down her face, to tell him everything, but she did not want to hurt him any further. They had all suffered enough, and she didn't need to make Syaoran suffer any more than he already was. She could not tell him.

"What are you doing here alone?" he asked, "We've been looking everywhere for you."

She smiled and stood from her seat by the small pond. "I'm sorry I worried you. I just wanted some time to think."

"Mama, are you sad?" Hazuki asked sadly.

Her words cut right through Sakura's heart, but she made sure Hazuki did not notice. She kept her expression the same, and kissed Hazuki on the forehead.

"I'm okay, sweetie. How did you sleep? Have you two eaten?"

Hazuki nodded.

"We ate together before coming to find you. I thought you had maybe been called to a meeting..." Syaoran trailed off. "Anyway, we have a little bit of time before we have to leave. We should… spend some time with the others as well."

Sakura smiled and nodded. "I'd like that."

"I bumped into Tomoyo earlier," he added, "She and Akiho have been spending time with Chiharu and Yamazaki."

"How is Akiho doing?" Sakura asked.

"She's getting along with everyone." Syaoran answered.

Sakura smiled softly, "I'm glad the others are kind to her."

"By the way," Syaoran added, "Have you eaten?"

She nodded, "Yes, I have."

Hearing her response, he relaxed a little bit, and the three of them made their way to the place where Tomoyo and the others were. They were all standing with their horses, and there was a horse for Syaoran and Sakura ready to go as well.

"Hey you three-good timing!" Chiharu greeted.

"I see you're all ready." Sakura smiled.

"Yes, and we have prepared your horse, too. We felt it was the least we could do." Akiho said with a smile.

"Thank you, we greatly appreciate it." Syaoran replied.

"Daddy, mama, don't go." Hazuki pleaded, her eyes starting to tear up.

Sakura felt another stab of pain go through her. She knew this would be the hardest part for her: saying goodbye to Hazuki. She closed the gap between her and Syaoran so that she could rest her head against Hazuki's.

"I'm so sorry, Hazuki. We have to." She whispered, trying so hard to keep her voice even.

Tomoyo and the others all struggled with their emotions as it was difficult to watch the family, knowing what would happen.

"Hazuki, you'll be safe here with Nakuru and Yukito." She said softly, "We love you so much."

Hazuki started to sob.

"Hey Hazuki," Syaoran spoke softly, "Can you make your mother a promise?"

Hazuki wiped her eyes with the back of her hands, but being only three, she still did not want to part from either of her parents again. Her tears kept flowing, but she nodded.

"Promise you'll be good for me, okay?"

Hazuki sniffed, "O-okay," she sobbed.

"Thank you, sweetheart. I love you, and I always will. Don't ever forget that."

Sakura wanted to say so much more to Hazuki, but she could not find the words. She just wanted Hazuki to know how much she loved her. She _needed _her to know.

"Are you still wearing the necklace I gave you?" Sakura then asked her.

Hazuki nodded and pulled it out from under her top.

"It's yours now," Sakura then said, "Take care of it."

Syaoran struggled to hold himself together. It was unbearably painful having to watch what he knew were Sakura's last moments with Hazuki.

Nakuru approached looking sombre. "Everyone is just about ready to head off. Yue and Kero are looking for you, your majesty."

Sakura nodded. "Thank you, Nakuru."

Nakuru stepped forward to take Hazuki, who hesitantly let go of Syaoran.

He gave Hazuki one last kiss on the top of her head before they had to leave her with Nakuru, then they left to do the last remaining things that needed to be done before heading out.

The group met up with Yue, Kero and Eriol, all of them exchanging a silent message. Syaoran lifted Sakura up onto the horse before pulling himself up behind her and took the reins.

It was always hard for everyone to leave their families, especially knowing they might not come back, which was why it was custom to sing a song to bring hope to everyone's hearts, and to motivate the soldiers.

Syaoran was the one who started the song; it had been a long time since his people had heard his voice, and it was welcome.

"_Six winds blow as one. They will turn the tide._

_We are marching on, standing side by side_

_And we'll carry on, until all the fire is gone,_

_Blown away, away to lands beyond._

_Winds blow as one.'_

Sakura then sang, her gentle voice soothing the pain everyone was feeling.

_"Six winds blow as one. They will turn the tide._

_We are marching on, standing side by side_

_And we'll carry on, until all the fire is gone_

_Blown away, away to lands beyond._

_Winds blow as one."_

The other soldiers joined Syaoran alongside Sakura, Tomoyo, Akiho and Eriol, giving each other strength, they all needed.

_"They try to oppress us._

_Steal the faith out of our lives._

_Still they are the flame for dreadful fires._

_They try to undermine us night by night._

_Now they are unmasked. They're full of lies._

_They never learned how to stand as one._

_And how to abandon fear._

_We will be their storm-wall closing in._

_If I die in battle,_

_Find dark blood upon my steel._

_If I die in battle,_

_Tell them I stood and never kneeled._

_If I die in battle,_

_My soul will be saved and gone,_

_I won't die in battle,_

_I'll fly north with six winds blowing as one."_

_"They did not await us and the kingdom we will raise._

_Yes we are the nightmare deep within._

_They underestimate us._

_Our faith alive for our freedom and our new life to begin._

_They will never bring us down._

_They never rule our life._

_We will be a tempest rising high."_

Their song soon faded from the halls of the underground fort and out into the forest outside. Sakura leant back against Syaoran, wanting to be selfish for just a little while.

"I've missed your voice, Syaoran." She said softly, "You really do give courage to everyone."

"You do as well, you know." He replied with a small smile.

She giggled, "Yes, but you're the Chosen One. You have the power to bring back the hope in their lives when it seems completely hopeless. Promise me you'll keep doing that."

Syaoran hugged her tightly, understanding what she meant.

_'Promise me you'll continue after I'm gone.'_

"I promise." He whispered.

…

The sky was so dark it was difficult to tell how much time had passed since they left the underground fort, but Syaoran guessed it had been a good few hours. They had reached the fork in the road where the two forces were to split. Syaoran and Sakura dismounted and grabbed the belongings they needed, along with the rest of their taskforce.

"Yamazaki, Mihara-be careful on the road." Syaoran said.

"You too, your grace." Yamazaki replied.

Syaoran turned, and together with everyone else, set off to take the underground secret routes into the city. There were several of them, and each commanding soldier had been given a specific route to take and their orders. Syaoran, Sakura, Tomoyo, Akiho, Eriol, Yue and Kero would head to one of the routes that lead to the castle, since it was closest to the Altar.

Akiho was beginning to feel her hands shake as she started to fully comprehend what was happening. Both Sakura and Tomoyo noticed and took her hands in theirs, squeezing gently.

"It's okay to be afraid." Sakura said gently. "You can rely on us."

"Thank you, your majesty." Akiho replied gratefully.

The group carefully made their way through the thick forest, the sky growing darker and darker, until they came to a cave that was hidden by foliage and moss. The front of it was closed off by a large heavy stone door.

Sakura walked up to it and placed her hand against the stone, whistling a three-note tune, then stood back as the stone started to part and reveal the entrance.

Syaoran headed in first, "Watch your step."

Sakura hopped down behind him, followed by Kero and Yue.

"How long will it take us to reach the castle?" Tomoyo asked.

"Roughly an hour, I think." Sakura answered, "This is one of the shorter passages."

"Hopefully we don't run into anything down here." Kero sighed as they walked.

"Please don't jinx us." Sakura muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He retorted.

"You know what I mean."

Kero made a noise of irritation but didn't bother to push the matter further. They walked in silence, none of them really talking for the duration of their walk through the dark tunnel. They were too busy staying on high alert for any threats.

The tunnel soon started to go uphill, making the walk more exhausting. In order to preserve her energy, Sakura made the rest of the journey on Kero's back. They soon came to the end of the tunnel; Syaoran undid the latch of the door and pushed it open carefully, trying not to alert the enemy, and then listened for any movement. Once he discerned that there wasn't anything there, he slipped out, looked around, then beckoned for the others to follow him.

They silently made their way through the castle, stopping at every corner to make sure it was safe. Outside, they could hear a lot of noise and shouting, but it was faint.

"I'm glad they're following through with the plan," Eriol breathed.

The castle walls shook as an explosion went off outside. Undeterred, the group continued through the castle, out to the castle grounds, and then out another secret entrance. But when they came out on the other side, they were not prepared for what they saw.

Sakura's eyes widened in horror and Akiho clasped her hands over her mouth in shock. Tomoyo turned just as pale as Eriol while Syaoran felt physically ill. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, and yet some part of him deep in the back of his mind had told him to expect it.

The denizens roaming the capital city were all people.

* * *

**The song featured in this chapter is 'If I Die In Battle' by Van Canto :) go give it a listen if you like.**

**Please let me know your thoughts on this chapter ;)**


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